as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
It’s been nearly two months since the BAFTA Film Awards were upended by a series of profoundly upsetting outbursts during the February ceremony.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026
Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
McNeese secured a March Madness bid by upsetting SFA in the Southland conference tournament, winning the school’s third consecutive Southland championship.
—Ryan Brennan
march 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Adjective
The movie also depicts real animal death, including some particularly upsetting slaughterhouse footage featuring now outdated killing methods.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
It’s been nearly two months since the BAFTA Film Awards were upended by a series of profoundly upsetting outbursts during the February ceremony.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
But after getting a chance to coach at Drake, McCollum began his quick rise up the college basketball ladder, going 31-4 in his first year at Drake and making it to the Round of 32 after upsetting Missouri in the opening round.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
McNeese secured a March Madness bid by upsetting SFA in the Southland conference tournament, winning the school’s third consecutive Southland championship.
—Ryan Brennan
march 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upsetting
Adjective
-
The story centers on a young couple (Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny) whose lives become entangled with their volatile boss and his wife (Isaac and Carey Mulligan) after witnessing a disturbing incident at an elite country club.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Before the footage was shown, as PEOPLE previously reported, Judge George Gallagher warned those in the courtroom that the material would be disturbing.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 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
-
The club’s hitters are 7-for-20 and catchers are 7-for-15 in overturning calls.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Prosecutors looking to strip Eastman of his law license had depicted him as fabricating a baseless theory and making false claims of fraud in hopes of overturning the results of the election.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Treasury has issued sanctions on more than 1,000 targets since 2025 under the current maximum pressure campaign, the official said, aimed at disrupting Iran’s oil trade and financial networks.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Skeptics point out oral exams can be unsettling for students who are shy or have serious anxiety, but clarifying the format ahead of time and starting with softball questions can help, says Carolyn Aslan, who leads Cornell’s oral exam training.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
West Texas Intermediate crude, the American benchmark, was once again nearing $100 per barrel, an unsettling development.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps his most notable friendship is with loyal longtime bodyguard Bill Bray (Keilyn Durrel Jones) and, to a lesser extent, his savvy manager John Branca (Miles Teller in a distracting wig).—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Punk was taking off the tape from his hands and threw it onto the ring, distracting the referee enough to hit Reigns with a low blow.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 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
-
Welcome to Asking for a Friend, a weekly series dedicated to solving the messy, awkward, and confusing parts of modern friendship.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
-
But factors like confusing trailheads and limited provisions mean that going alone also comes with unique risks.—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upsetting. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
