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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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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
Our studies point to several possible reasons for why false beliefs feel so upsetting. — Andras Molnar, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 However, when considering veering from the tradition, recognize that your choice may draw attention away from the purpose of the day or be upsetting to others from older generations. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
Cal Poly opened the year by upsetting Big West conference favorite UC Santa Barbara, positioning the men’s team for its first undefeated dual-meet season since moving to Division I in 1994. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026 Similar concerns have come up related to progressive populists’ potential for upsetting Democratic establishment candidates and incumbents in primaries in Connecticut, Hawaii and Missouri. — David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 15 July 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
  • More than a month after Perez Hilton appeared in a disturbing livestream appearing to engage in acts of self-harm at this Miami-area home, his family is addressing the rumor mill.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As tensions rise and boundaries begin to blur, their grandmother’s frail presence takes on an increasingly disturbing quality, turning a once-idyllic summer into a haunting passage into adulthood.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • OpenAI’s use of a new technique that obscures AI agents’ chain of thought is alarming the research community.
    — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The development proved alarming enough that OpenAI vowed last week to slow the release of its upcoming Astra AI model.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarming
Verb
  • As well as overturning the 2024 standards, the EPA is proposing to roll back its authority to regulate climate pollution from power plants.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Kavanaugh wrote an opinion in 2012 overturning the terrorism conviction of a driver and bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of overturning
Verb
  • Organizations must determine which systems are affected, understand the business consequences of remediation, and test and deploy fixes without disrupting critical operations.
    — Shane Buckley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The researchers learned that parents were concerned by low-flying helicopter noise disrupting their children’s sleep and affecting their brain health.
    — Caroline Montojo, STAT, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupting
Adjective
  • Nelson took 12 years to get the project made, and that labor-of-love aspect shows in the soulfulness and meticulous care the writer-director brings to this unsettling story of violence begetting violence, based on actual events.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Trapped together in the heavy, stifling isolation of the summer heat, the siblings’ bond begins to shift into something unsettling and difficult to define.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • Even a quiet voice can be distracting in an otherwise silent reading area.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Fast movement feels more immediate, while VRR helps reduce distracting screen tearing when frame rates change.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracting
Verb
  • The rip currents and massive surf are capable of capsizing small boats, knocking people off jetties and pulling swimmers out to sea.
    — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors said Hernandez piloted the boat into a swell and had accelerated the throttle to try to pass through it until the swell swamped the bow of the boat, capsizing it immediately, a complaint alleged.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of capsizing
Verb
  • Dirty glass, confusing backing liners and difficulty repositioning the film were among the most common frustrations.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Then began the desperate, confusing search for their colleagues.
    — Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing

Browse Nearby Words

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 19 Sep. 2026.

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