upset 1 of 3

upset

2 of 3

verb

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2
3

upset

3 of 3

noun

as in disruption
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 & Similar Words

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an upset child
an unhappy child
an agitated child
an emotional child
a distraught child
a perturbed child
upset customers
unhappy customers
displeased customers
unsatisfied customers
outraged customers
angry customers
an upset stomach
a sour stomach
an irritable stomach
an unsettled stomach
an uneasy stomach
a sick stomach

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb upset contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of upset are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, fluster, and perturb. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

When is it sensible to use agitate instead of upset?

While the synonyms agitate and upset are close in meaning, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

In what contexts can discompose take the place of upset?

Although the words discompose and upset have much in common, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When can disquiet be used instead of upset?

The synonyms disquiet and upset are sometimes interchangeable, but disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When might disturb be a better fit than upset?

In some situations, the words disturb and upset are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

When could fluster be used to replace upset?

The words fluster and upset are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When would perturb be a good substitute for upset?

The meanings of perturb and upset largely overlap; however, perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

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 upset
Adjective
How long has Epoch been upset about Sylvanian Drama? Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 17 July 2025 His steal against Jaylen Brown in Game 1 was a thing of beauty and doing the same to Jayson Tatum to seal Game 2 made the upset over the Boston Celtics during the Eastern Conference Semifinals a distinct possibility. Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Verb
Her goal is to comfort those who are sympathetic to her critique and upset those who are not. Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025 The fans say they are upset by the Galaxy management’s silence amid ICE’s presence in the Latino community. Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
Noun
Side effects were minimal, with the most common being mild digestive upsets, similar to that of semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy). New Atlas, 21 June 2025 Where working class folks stage electoral upsets against the powers that be. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for upset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upset
Adjective
  • One of the biggest shifts since the time of Rose is that far fewer Americans are worried about this potential problem.
    Harry Enten, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
  • Critics of Greene's bill are worried that the legislation could disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals, who naturally stand to make more profits from a home sale.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Still, some experts worry about using federal aid to fund such programs.
    Natalie Yahr, jsonline.com, 19 July 2025
  • Buying back-to-school supplies can be challenging for families, so organizations and companies across Phoenix are hosting backpack and school supply giveaways to ensure that no student has to worry about being ready for the school year.
    Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Six appealed their disqualifications but none of the disqualifications were overturned, the NYPD said in court papers.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
  • The Department of Justice (DOJ) has called on the Supreme Court to reject an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell to overturn her conviction.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Underneath the fun exterior, Red Bull was serious about its ambitions of disrupting F1’s front-runners and assembling a team that was capable of winning a championship.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • Frequent use can disrupt normal bowel function and lead to laxative dependence or chronic constipation.7 Only use castor oil under medical guidance.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Food system instability exposes markets to cascading shocks: inflation, trade disruption, insurance losses and sovereign credit stress.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Flash flood warnings and watches stretched from Virginia through Pennsylvania, as communities contended with fast-rising waters and significant travel disruption.
    Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • The odds of a recession may be falling, but states appear to be betting that corporate leaders are still nervous.
    Scott Cohn, CNBC, 12 July 2025
  • Then there's the real world, which is entirely different, so in reality people have nothing to be nervous about.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Signs on the fence that surrounds the property warn of large fines for disturbing the site, which is the subject of investigation by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Cal-OSHA.
    Nathaniel Levine, Sacbee.com, 19 July 2025
  • In 2005, an anonymous tipster sent the family disturbing images of a woman from an adult website based in the Caribbean.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Two days later, when the body of Alec Campbell had been recovered ‒ his death a result of his kayak capsizing in fast-moving water near the Weir Dam on the Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County ‒ Gentile couldn’t help but relive his own family’s tragic loss.
    Michele Haddon, USA Today, 14 July 2025
  • Two boaters reported missing were found dead after their vessel was found capsized on a breakwater in a Connecticut harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.
    Don Sweeney, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Upset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upset. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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