Synonyms of upset

upset 1 of 3

adjective

(ˌ)əp-ˈset 

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

she was upset by the unexplained change in plans

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• nervous
• anxious
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive
• concerned
• perturbed
• disturbed
• bothered
• uptight
• flustered
• ill at ease
• tense
• hesitant
• distraught
• queasy
• jittery
• insecure
• queazy
• jumpy
• on edge
• freaked
• obsessed
• on tenterhooks
• on pins and needles
• preoccupied
• aggrieved
• antsy
• goosey
• het up
• unquiet
• edgy
• distressed
• nervy
• dithery
• restless
• disquieted
• hinky
• vexed
• aflutter
• atwitter
• keyed up
• shook-up
• hung up
• fretful
• unnerved
• fretting
• freaked-out
• foreboding
• misgiving
• fidgety
• unstrung
• qualmish
• undone
• high-strung
• fluttery
• qualmy
• stewing
• spooky
• skittish
• twittered
• hypertense
• flighty

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• calm
• collected
• cool
• relaxed
• sure
• confident
• nerveless
• controlled
• happy-go-lucky
• self-assured
• self-confident
• self-controlled

upset

2 of 3

verb

(ˌ)əp-ˈset 

1

as in to worry

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worry
• disturb
• bother
• concern
• alarm
• distract
• anger
• agitate
• unsettle
• annoy
• distress
• discomfort
• dismay
• irritate
• derail
• confuse
• disquiet
• haunt
• plague
• perturb
• embarrass
• fuss
• discompose
• undo
• flurry
• ail
• exercise
• unhinge
• freak (out)
• weird out
• rattle
• aggravate
• irk
• exasperate
• bug
• rile
• harass
• distemper
• discourage
• hagride
• frazzle
• vex
• alarum
• fluster
• harry
• fret
• pique
• pester
• put off
• discomfit
• disconcert
• put out
• get
• chafe
• gall
• chivvy
• shake up
• peeve
• faze
• confound
• grate
• bedevil
• mortify
• dishearten
• unnerve
• nettle
• abash
• demoralize
• daunt
• discountenance
• dispirit
• jar
• chivy
• nonplus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm
• soothe
• settle
• quiet
• compose
• alleviate
• allay
• assuage
• tranquilize
• placate
• tranquillize
• appease
• pacify
• mollify
• conciliate
• propitiate

2

as in to overturn

to turn on one's side or upside down

the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care

Synonyms & Similar Words

• overturn
• capsize
• collapse
• turn over
• turn turtle
• fall
• topple
• keel
• tilt
• upend
• overthrow
• overset
• invert
• lean
• tip
• list
• give
• tump (over)
• founder
• heel
• pitchpole
• careen

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• stand up
• raise
• straighten (up)
• erect

3

as in to disrupt

to undo the proper order or arrangement of

the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disrupt
• confuse
• disturb
• shuffle
• disarray
• disarrange
• scramble
• disorganize
• muddle
• jumble
• mix (up)
• disorder
• dislocate
• derange
• discompose
• tumble
• muss
• snarl
• hash
• tousle
• mess (up)
• disjoint
• unsettle
• tangle
• stir (up)
• perturb
• dishevel
• embroil
• rumple
• agitate
• clutter
• entangle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• regulate
• order
• dispose
• arrange
• organize
• draw up
• array
• range
• straighten (up)
• tidy
• classify
• adjust
• line up
• line
• marshal
• align
• marshall
• fix
• queue
• make up
• codify
• systematize
• aline
• groom
• methodize
• spruce (up)
• systemize
• unscramble

upset

3 of 3

noun

ˈəp-ˌset 

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

• disruption
• disturbance
• dislocation
• upheaval
• derangement
• revolution
• convulsion
• unsettlement
• unsettledness

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

Recent Examples of upset

Adjective

Leavitt was intercepted on the next drive to put an exclamation point on a big upset win for the Bulldogs. —Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025

The former governor launched his after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly, in an upset; Adams chose to forgo the primary entirely. —Jared Gans, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025

Verb

Despite having Hunger Games‘ Francis Lawrence’s name on the pic as director, and rising genre scribe JT Mollner, the pic stars plenty of fresh faces and carries what looks to be an anti-military message in its trailers, which is bound to upset the middle of the country. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025

Grain prices have returned to normalcy after the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war upset supply chains. —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025

Noun

There are a couple of reasons to believe Georgia Tech could pull the upset, starting with the Jackets' penchant for playing up to their competition the last few seasons. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025

However, the Tigers managed two top-10 upsets. —Brady Shanahan, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025