upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

1

: in such a way that the upper and the lower parts are reversed in position

2

: in or into great disorder

turned their world upside down

upside-down

ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

adjective

Examples of upside down in a Sentence

You hung the picture upside down!

To remove the plant, turn the pot upside down and tap gently on the bottom to loosen it.

The baby was holding the book upside down.

Recent Examples on the Web

Getting stuck upside down on Thor’s Swinging Hammer ride as a child left an indelible mark. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

The demonstrators carried American flags, some flown upside down, as well as Confederate flags, as police monitored the event. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 6 July 2026

To serve, flip the cake upside down and top with vanilla ice cream for serving. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2026

After a fire burns down the family’s home and turns their lives upside down, her children are placed in foster care. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English up so doun, from up + so + doun down

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upside down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˌəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

1

: with the upper part underneath and the lower part on top

2

: in or into great disorder

upside-down adjective

Legal Definition

upside down

adjective

: underwater

upside down mortgages

upside down homes

upside down homeowners