Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

upset

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of upset

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

  • she was upset by the unexplained change in plans
Synonyms of upset

aflutter, antsy, anxious, atwitter, dithery, edgy, goosey, het up, hinky [slang], hung up, ill at ease, insecure, jittery, jumpy, nervous, nervy, perturbed, queasy (also queazy), tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, uptight, worried
Words Related to upset

aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed, freaked, freaked-out, shook-up

apprehensive, foreboding, hesitant, misgiving

fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed

qualmish, qualmy

flustered, twittered, undone, unnerved, unstrung

obsessed, preoccupied, restless

fidgety, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, hypertense, skittish, spooky
Phrases Synonymous with upset

keyed up, on edge, on pins and needles, on tenterhooks
Near Antonyms of upset

confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure

controlled, self-controlled
Antonyms of upset

calm, collected, cool, easy, happy-go-lucky, nerveless, relaxed

upset

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of upset

an act or instance of the order of things being disturbed

  • the move to a new town is just the latest in a series of upsets for my family over the last year
Synonyms of upset

derangement, dislocation, disruption, disturbance
Words Related to upset

convulsion, revolution, unsettledness, unsettlement, upheaval

upset

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of upset

1 to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

  • the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed
Synonyms of upset

agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, weird out, worry
Words Related to upset

aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex

bedevil, haunt, plague

abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up

daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
Near Antonyms of upset

allay, alleviate, assuage

appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate
Antonyms of upset

calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

2 to turn on oneʼs side or upside down

  • the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care
Synonyms of upset

capsize, overturn, turn over
Words Related to upset

invert, overset, overthrow, pitchpole, topple, tump (over) [chiefly Southern], upend

careen, heel, keel, lean, list, tilt, tip

collapse, fall, founder, give
Phrases Synonymous with upset

turn turtle
Near Antonyms of upset

stand up, straighten (up)

erect, raise
Antonyms of upset

right

3 to undo the proper order or arrangement of

  • the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine
Synonyms of upset

confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble
Words Related to upset

embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle

agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle

clutter
Near Antonyms of upset

align (also aline), line, line up, queue

classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize

adjust, fix

groom, make up, spruce (up)

unscramble
Antonyms of upset

arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy

Synonym Discussion of upset

discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, agitate, upset, fluster mean to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action. discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.
    • discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife
disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.
    • the disquieting news of factories closing
disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.
    • the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me
perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.
    • perturbed by her husband's strange behavior
agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.
    • in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work
upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.
    • the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child
fluster suggests bewildered agitation.
    • his declaration of love completely flustered her

Learn More about upset

  1. See words that rhyme with upset Dictionary: Definition of upset Medical Dictionary: Definition of upset Spanish Central: Translation of upset Nglish: Translation of upset for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of upset for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up upset? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games