het up

adjective

ˈhet-ˈəp How to pronounce het up (audio)
Definition of het upnext
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty it won't do you any good to get all het up before the tryouts and lose sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of het up As for the airport tray aesthetic, while people might be getting het up at the idea of Gen Z holding up the line for some navel-gazing, the US Transport Security Administration is sanguine about the risk. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024 Something about unfolding Bennifer events, this rekindling of an old flame, has got all of us het up. — Raven Smith, Vogue, 16 June 2021 In a normal December, people would be more concerned with the holidays and a busy schedule and wouldn't get this het up with Congress. — Arkansas Online, 28 Dec. 2020 Cultural appropriation is one of the issues that gets hft most het up. — Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for het up
  1. worried
  2. upset
  3. anxious
  4. nervous
  5. ill at ease
  6. troubled
  7. uneasy
Adjective
  • Many were worried that this would lead to productivity losses.
    — Volen Vulkov, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday morning, a relative of Cantrell who was worried that the baby might be Cantrell’s called police.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • The dispute could present a problem for Raman, who rode DSA support to an upset City Council victory in 2020 but has since frustrated some DSA members with her positions on policing, housing development, and Israel.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
  • With the upset win over the Ravens, Cleveland moves to 4-2 and into a tie with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Since the incident, the flamingo has been doing all right physically but is more anxious and nervous when being evaluated, said Peachy’s veterinarian, Tiffany Moore, medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As the military-style helicopter hovered above them, attendees from the rural, predominantly Latino community, began to get nervous.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Dr Hoggett’s office was in a hospital across town, a building with long corridors, low ceilings, handwashing stations and works of art that were at once innocuous and ill at ease.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of ill at ease
Adjective
  • Ramaswamy, who is challenging Democrat Amy Acton for the governor’s seat, has come under attack from some critics for airing a campaign ad this week featuring Acton’s estranged mother slamming her daughter as a troubled liar.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Betancourt’s legal problems stemmed from his role in troubled Venezuelan energy projects during the corrupt rule of former President Hugo Chávez.
    — Cate Brown, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • Giving team members insight into what is known, what remains unchanged and what may come next can help people navigate uneasy periods of uncertainty with greater confidence.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Experts say Chinese officials likely felt uneasy about that opening.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy

Browse Nearby Words

heteronomy
het up
hew
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Cite this Entry

“Het up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/het%20up. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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