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

With that prompt, the 61% to 27% split in favor of a third term turns upside down, with 36% in favor and 52% opposed. —Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2025

Within just a three-day time period, our world was turned upside down. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 23 July 2025

In that room, the officer saw two cribs turned upside down with two children inside, according to the affidavit. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2025

This is a poignant exploration of a woman’s unraveling, when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected confession. —Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025

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