as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of upsetting
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
That was such a terrible shock and really upsetting, horrifying, and scary.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 May 2026
The auction initially caused quite a stir, upsetting tried and true gentlemanly practice.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Adjective
And, of course, finding anything wriggling around in your box of cereal or cornmeal is definitely upsetting.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
That was such a terrible shock and really upsetting, horrifying, and scary.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Panama government seized the canal’s ports from the company in February, greatly upsetting China.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 May 2026
The auction initially caused quite a stir, upsetting tried and true gentlemanly practice.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsetting
Adjective
-
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The alerts were triggered by the severe thunderstorm moving through the area, alarming some residents who were unaware the city’s siren system now also goes off when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now, a new study argues that the ancient impact likely came from north to south, overturning some earlier interpretations and potentially changing the scientific value of NASA’s future Artemis missions.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
-
Lawmakers in the past have taken actions against cities, such as preventing them from setting their own minimum wage and overturning some Boise rental protections.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The Port of Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport endured a cyberattack in August 2024 initiated by a ransomware group that caused some IT system outages disrupting Wi-Fi, facility websites, flight display screens and check-in kiosks.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
The process of how art gets made seems to change every day, with new technologies disrupting old workflows and evolving methods of distribution and monetization.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Tensions mount, especially when Matt reenters the picture, and Max Fabian’s fight choreography creates some unsettling moments.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
And that is not even touching on all the unsettling racial humor that came with having Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchliffe — two comedians who have actually faced backlash for hate speech — on the dais for the roast of a Black entertainer.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
However, many within Starmer’s party say a leadership contest would be distracting for the party and disastrous for the country.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
-
Schapiro, a former university president, stepped down to avoid distracting from the ceremony.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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
Verb
-
Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
Clients hiring us for AI narrative work are under investor pressure to move fast, and the cost of confusing speed with substance will show up on their balance sheets.—
Kathleen Lucente,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsetting. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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