as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
the frantic search left the room upside-down
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Recent Examples of upside-down
To understand the evolution of sleep, Appelbaum and his colleagues focused on upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda) and the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis).
—
New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, postpartum products such as maxi pads, cooling pads, witch hazel and an upside-down peri bottle all take the stress out of using the bathroom after giving birth.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The new guidelines, taking the form of an upside-down pyramid, show vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy and healthy fats at the top and whole grains at the bottom.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
Accepting the sham of the Jimmy cult, Jimmy Ink kills the last loyal Fingers, then nails her former leader to an upside-down cross.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
There’s a joyous excitement to the bad things Jimmy does, wearing a tiara and upside-down cross and boasting a flamboyant streak.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
Authorities said another kayaker found Rajaniemi face down in the water Friday morning with his kayak upside-down near the head of the Bodega Bay channel.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026
On the other side of the country in Los Angeles, a police helicopter’s search light beamed down on protesters on Alameda Street, who were outfitted with upside-down American flags and handmade anti-ICE posters.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
And Skinny Pedro resurfaced from under the upside-down canoe.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, postpartum products such as maxi pads, cooling pads, witch hazel and an upside-down peri bottle all take the stress out of using the bathroom after giving birth.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The new guidelines, taking the form of an upside-down pyramid, show vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy and healthy fats at the top and whole grains at the bottom.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
Accepting the sham of the Jimmy cult, Jimmy Ink kills the last loyal Fingers, then nails her former leader to an upside-down cross.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
There’s a joyous excitement to the bad things Jimmy does, wearing a tiara and upside-down cross and boasting a flamboyant streak.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
Authorities said another kayaker found Rajaniemi face down in the water Friday morning with his kayak upside-down near the head of the Bodega Bay channel.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026
On the other side of the country in Los Angeles, a police helicopter’s search light beamed down on protesters on Alameda Street, who were outfitted with upside-down American flags and handmade anti-ICE posters.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
And Skinny Pedro resurfaced from under the upside-down canoe.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upside-down
Adjective
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Extension 24-Pair Shoe Storage Cabinet A pile of footwear cluttering an entryway is an eyesore and makes homes look messy.—
Ali Faccenda,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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Epstein raised this alarm years ago in Range, writing that the best predictors of future elite performance often hide inside messy developmental stories.—
Rachel Barr,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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While navigating Westport by car or on foot is chaotic right now, the goal is to prevent destruction in the future.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
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Lazy Susans and magnetic spice racks turn chaotic fridges and spice shelves into functional spaces.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Archaeologists were completely confused.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
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Your children do not need parents who are confused about the status of their relationship.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As the most populous and sprawling county in the state, Fulton has often been tagged by Republicans as the bad egg among elections offices for its past record of long lines, late returns and sloppy bookkeeping.—
Patricia Murphy,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Officials say the scammers' schemes range from the savvy to the sloppy -- and all are brazen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Instead of leaving a jumbled mess of cords and devices on the counter, try a dedicated charging drawer.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
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Perhaps whoever comes in — either as the full interim rather than the pre-interim, or the actual full-time appointment, whenever that is — will figure out a way to make this expensive but jumbled squad work.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sauron was bested by some filthy Hobbitses and their pal, Gollum.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Slightly less filthy than the ones on the balcony, those bricks could have used a coat of paint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Storage Ottomans The living room can get cluttered quickly, so an ottoman is a great way to discreetly organize blankets, pillows, toys, or other items strewn around the room.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2026
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In autonomous tests, the robot unscrews bottle caps, extracts individual pills from organizers despite occlusion, dispenses precise syringe volumes under variable resistance, and selects small metal parts from cluttered containers.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upside-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upside-down. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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