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
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Recent Examples of upsetting
Melissa Willets, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Both groups reported feeling more stressed after looking at the images, but the group with above average fitness started out with lower levels of anger and anxiety and stayed calmer after seeing the upsetting images.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 20 Feb. 2026
Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
While Larson is known for his friendly disposition, Proto said that no candidate can be in office for decades without upsetting some constituents.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Adjective
This mom shares why questions about her son's walking milestone are upsetting and asks the experts for advice on how to handle them.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Both groups reported feeling more stressed after looking at the images, but the group with above average fitness started out with lower levels of anger and anxiety and stayed calmer after seeing the upsetting images.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Police were unable to confirm the new Wisconsin registration and brought the car back to her, upsetting Johnson.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
While Larson is known for his friendly disposition, Proto said that no candidate can be in office for decades without upsetting some constituents.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsetting
Adjective
-
What followed was even more disturbing.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
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That would be a particularly disturbing piece of real hate mail Kubrin received late last year after she was quoted in a news story about immigration and crime.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Seda also said that more than 100 vehicles were damaged, with some overturning on the roadside and in parking bays.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Last month, in a separate case, Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal handed Lai a rare legal victory by overturning his conviction for fraud and quashing a 69-month sentence.—
Reuters 8 hr ago,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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Then, last summer, LA became the first major US city to face large-scale ICE raids, stoking fear among undocumented immigrants and disrupting the restaurant workforce.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Instead of an attack, the play offers something more unsettling, a meditation on the allure of a bad life and the trap of a good one.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Hair changes can feel unsettling, especially during life stages like postpartum recovery or menopause.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Also, higher oil prices mean more income for Russia, and the war in Iran is distracting the world from Putin’s war in Ukraine.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
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Additional creature comforts also can be nice but distracting.—
Metro Creative Services,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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But the notice sent last spring was so vague and confusing that few people used it to object.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
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The company’s messaging has been confusing and has at various points seemed to contradict its own previous statements, as well as information from the government.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsetting. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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