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
Relevance
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
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 upsets
Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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, 17 Dec. 2025
But if Duke upsets Virginia, there’s a legitimate chance an 8-5 Blue Devils team — and the entire ACC — would be left out of the CFP, replaced by two mid-major conference champions.
—Charlotte Observer, 3 Dec. 2025
The mandate by India also upsets the unwritten détente between the makers of smartphone operating systems and law enforcement agencies around the world.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 3 Dec. 2025
This is something that really upsets me deep in my soul.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
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
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
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
This arguably was one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
—Greg Rajan, Houston Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
The remedy for upsets is to be sympathetic and fierce, making tough love the best approach.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
The Hoosiers’ win capped an odd night in college basketball full of almost upsets.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Or are there a couple of twists — as well as upsets — in the cards?
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
The results were not ideal — at least not for the 374 Manchester City fans who traveled to the fishing town north of the Arctic Circle only to see their team suffer one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Manchester City lost 3-1 at tiny Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt in one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history on Tuesday, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain also was on the end of an unexpected defeat at Sporting Lisbon.
—Steve Douglas, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The Hurricanes have already posted three consecutive upsets to get to this point.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
Or, imagine that Uruguay upsets Spain in Group H.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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, 17 Dec. 2025
But if Duke upsets Virginia, there’s a legitimate chance an 8-5 Blue Devils team — and the entire ACC — would be left out of the CFP, replaced by two mid-major conference champions.
—Charlotte Observer, 3 Dec. 2025
The mandate by India also upsets the unwritten détente between the makers of smartphone operating systems and law enforcement agencies around the world.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 3 Dec. 2025
This is something that really upsets me deep in my soul.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
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
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
Noun
UConn’s resume took a few hits this week with both Louisville and Iowa suffering upsets.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
This arguably was one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
—Greg Rajan, Houston Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
The remedy for upsets is to be sympathetic and fierce, making tough love the best approach.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
The Hoosiers’ win capped an odd night in college basketball full of almost upsets.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Or are there a couple of twists — as well as upsets — in the cards?
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
The results were not ideal — at least not for the 374 Manchester City fans who traveled to the fishing town north of the Arctic Circle only to see their team suffer one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Manchester City lost 3-1 at tiny Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt in one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history on Tuesday, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain also was on the end of an unexpected defeat at Sporting Lisbon.
—Steve Douglas, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The Hurricanes have already posted three consecutive upsets to get to this point.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsets
Verb
-
By cross-pollinating different groups of thinkers, Seth disturbs the pattern-completion machinery of each mind, clearing the ground for alternative insights to land.—
Rachel Barr,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Though the time change allows for more daylight in the spring and summer evenings, many have argued the change disturbs the body's circadian rhythms and has significant health drawbacks.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Wednesday ruling overturns much of that opinion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Similarly, the video Som da Maloka, 2024, by Raphael Escobar overturns negative stereotypes about the shelterless men of color living in Cracolândia, a highly impoverished and heavily policed area of downtown São Paulo ravaged by crack cocaine and other drugs.—
Michaëla de Lacaze Mohrmann,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … POLITICS ACCESS DENIED – SpaceX CEO Elon Musk disrupts Russian operations in Ukraine with single move.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Hovering over desks or listening in on private conversations makes the workplace feel intrusive and disrupts workers’ sense of privacy and comfort.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And our former motorcoach business struggled through COVID, inflation, supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages.—
Paul S. Mears III,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In 2025, California’s job market lost jobs for the first time in a calendar year since 2020, a period that was marred by massive disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most people are able to put the splint away once their plantar fasciitis no longer bothers them.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That inward struggle made it to the surface because Glenn no longer bothers with charades.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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
-
When a violent storm nearly capsizes them, the family awakes in a desert land.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.—
Noosheen Hashemi,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Where the Roma obscured the line between a classic grand tourer and a sports car with supercar tendencies, the Amalfi confuses things further.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The space weather center issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch for a heightened risk of minor disturbances to Earth's magnetic field from the portion of the field that may reach the Earth.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
-
More reliable forecasts of solar activity could help protect satellites, reduce risks to navigation systems, and give power grid operators advance warning of geomagnetic disturbances.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upsets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsets. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
