upsetting 1 of 2

adjective

(ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ How to pronounce upsetting (audio)
Definition of upsettingnext
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

upsetting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of upset
1
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overturning
to turn on one's side or upside down the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 upsetting
Adjective
This behavior isn’t just irritating or upsetting. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 These little monsters are cute in perhaps a beautifully upsetting way, which is just my kind of thing, honestly. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026
Verb
Both were made to sit outside the gates, deeply upsetting the family who mourned within. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Another breakout moment arrived the following year, when Andreeva advanced to the semis at the French Open after upsetting Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinal. — Vogue, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsetting
  1. disturbing
  2. alarming
  3. overturning
  4. disrupting
  5. unsettling
  6. distracting
  7. capsizing
  8. confusing
Adjective
  • And so the disturbing part of the dissent in the mail ballot case was that this was about a very narrow issue, whether ballots that are postmarked by Election Day can be counted if they're received in some period after.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 8 July 2026
  • The film is a modern take on creature horror movies told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.
    — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 7 July 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • So, even just the unusual presence of an aircraft in this area made this incident alarming for one resident, Anna, who spoke to CNN near the scene.
    — Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
  • At the same time, the state’s spending keeps growing quickly as well, alarming the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which advises the Legislature on fiscal matters.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of alarming
Verb
  • The players were aware of popular sentiment against overturning the call.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Earlier this year, Zeldin proposed overturning the landmark finding that climate change is a threat to human health.
    — Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of overturning
Verb
  • Large fires in southern France have already scorched thousands of hectares (acres) since last week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • Rufus the hawk handles deterring the pigeons from disrupting play by eating grass seed.
    — Nick Pachelli, Time, 11 July 2026
Definition of disrupting
Adjective
  • After all, Against Nature is all about the unsettling atmosphere and the senses.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2026
  • Seeking a fresh start, Ellie moves into a house on Delaney Row hoping to leave her troubled past behind, only to discover that her new home is steeped in dark secrets and unsettling mysteries.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • The conversational delivery keeps listeners engaged without distracting from the content, creating a disruption-free experience that enhances ad reception.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Mesh or woven flats provide texture without being distracting.
    — Emma Bocchi, Glamour, 7 July 2026
Definition of distracting
Verb
  • The Frontex patrol boat sank off the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo after capsizing, the coast guard said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Operators of another boat happened to be on the phone with the Coast Guard checking conditions in the inlet and reported the vessel, the Moonstruck, capsizing, according to The Coastland Times.
    — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Definition of capsizing
Verb
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Meta’s new cloud business — selling excess compute capacity to outside customers — is confusing on its face.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confusing

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upsets
upsetting
upshot
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Cite this Entry

“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsetting. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on upsetting

Nglish: Translation of upsetting for Spanish Speakers

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