1
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overturns
to turn on one's side or upside down
the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupts
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disruptions
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upsets
Michael Loria, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Stone upsets Cline in District 5 District 5 incumbent Lisa Cline lost her south Charlotte district in a contest with challenger Cynthia Stone.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Prevent upsets to your meal (and upsets to your hungry guests) by making every spice, seasoning, and ingredient easy to find.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
But the one thing that really upsets her on a plane?
—Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Chai is gentler on the stomach and might be better if coffee upsets your stomach.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
The thing that upsets me with fashion today is everyone is so scared.
—Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
England managers have been guilty in the past of trying to shoehorn their best talents into a team, even if that upsets the balance.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
What upsets me the most about that is that people believe it.
—Katherine Dillinger, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
All six of those teams have either two or three total conference games left on their schedule, so the chances for those upsets to take place are minimal.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
There were plenty of upsets, from Houston falling to West Virginia to SMU potentially knocking Miami out of the playoffs one week after the Mustangs lost to Wake Forest.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2025
Sister Jean became a national star in 2018 when then-underdogs Loyola pulled off multiple upsets to reach the Final Four.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Canada also faced cost-of-living increases and inflation that contributed to election upsets around the world in 2024, according to Rose and to the BBC.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
After weeks of chaos and upsets defined the early 2025 NFL season, Week 8 finally delivered some calm.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
San Clemente 5-4 (48) The Tritons produced one of the bigger upsets of the season with a 28-9 win over then-undefeated Los Alamitos.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
For the second time this season, Friday upsets will toss the high school football Top 10 on its head.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
Bovino appears to be arguing with a man standing near Muñoz who says something that visibly upsets the chief.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Stone upsets Cline in District 5 District 5 incumbent Lisa Cline lost her south Charlotte district in a contest with challenger Cynthia Stone.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Prevent upsets to your meal (and upsets to your hungry guests) by making every spice, seasoning, and ingredient easy to find.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
But the one thing that really upsets her on a plane?
—Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Chai is gentler on the stomach and might be better if coffee upsets your stomach.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
The thing that upsets me with fashion today is everyone is so scared.
—Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
England managers have been guilty in the past of trying to shoehorn their best talents into a team, even if that upsets the balance.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
What upsets me the most about that is that people believe it.
—Katherine Dillinger, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
Green Bay was on the wrong end of one of the biggest upsets in years last Sunday, losing to the Panthers as two-touchdown underdogs.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
All six of those teams have either two or three total conference games left on their schedule, so the chances for those upsets to take place are minimal.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
There were plenty of upsets, from Houston falling to West Virginia to SMU potentially knocking Miami out of the playoffs one week after the Mustangs lost to Wake Forest.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2025
Sister Jean became a national star in 2018 when then-underdogs Loyola pulled off multiple upsets to reach the Final Four.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Canada also faced cost-of-living increases and inflation that contributed to election upsets around the world in 2024, according to Rose and to the BBC.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
After weeks of chaos and upsets defined the early 2025 NFL season, Week 8 finally delivered some calm.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
San Clemente 5-4 (48) The Tritons produced one of the bigger upsets of the season with a 28-9 win over then-undefeated Los Alamitos.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
For the second time this season, Friday upsets will toss the high school football Top 10 on its head.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsets
Verb
-
Another possibility is that there is a relic magnetic field that exists between galaxies which remains from the early universe and disturbs low-energy gamma-rays.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.—
Jennifer Walker,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Helm topples trees, uproots crops, overturns feed stacks, steals loose blankets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The ruling overturns only one of two lower court decisions to block the deployment of the National Guard in Portland, and because a second decision is still in force, troops can’t immediately be mobilized.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As artificial intelligence disrupts software and traditional tech cycles, many VCs are being forced to rethink their investment theses.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
His ability to reset the line of scrimmage with power, find the football and then get hands on the ball carrier consistently disrupts opposing game plans.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And now that crisis, combined with the shutdown, has led to Federal Aviation Administration limits on flights at the nation’s 40 largest airports, with hundreds of flight cancellations daily and disruptions across the country.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Major flight disruptions could bring higher shipping costs that get passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.—
John Seewer,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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Really, the accuracy is the one thing that bothers me with him.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The group gets stranded at sea off the coast of Florida when their boat capsizes, leading Coast Guard Captain Timothy Close (Duhamel) to oversee the efforts to bring them home as a storm looms.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
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When a violent storm nearly capsizes them, the family awakes in a desert land.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
The Longhorns’ roster build confuses me.—
The Athletic College Basketball Staff,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
At her spring show, Marie-Adam Leenaerdt brought back the style, but her shiny spandex stocking version ensures no one confuses the look for child’s play.—
Laia Garcia-Furtado,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The medication is also sometimes prescribed for nightmares and other sleep disturbances caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the AP.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
1 Nov. 2025
-
It also is sometimes prescribed for nightmares and other sleep disturbances caused by post-traumatic stress disorder.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upsets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsets. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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