upset Meaning & Definition
What Does Upset Mean?
Upset is an adjective that means Angry, distressed, or unhappy. It is also used to mean Feeling unwell, nauseated, or ready to vomit. As a noun, it means Disturbance or disruption. As a verb, it means To make (a person) angry, distressed, or unhappy.
Upset in Brief
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈʌp.sɛt/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | distressed, trouble and troubled |
| Plural | upsets |
| Comparative / superlative | more upset, most upset |
Upset Definition (Adjective)
- Angry, distressed, or unhappy
He was upset when she refused his friendship.
- Feeling unwell, nauseated, or ready to vomit.
His stomach was upset, so he didn't want to move.
Upset as a Noun
- Disturbance or disruption.
My late arrival caused the professor considerable upset.
- An unexpected victory of a competitor or candidate that was not favored to win.
- An overturn.
"collision and upset": impact with another object or an overturn for whatever reason.
- An upset stomach.
- An upper set; a subset (X,≤) of a partially ordered set with the property that, if x is in U and x≤y, then y is in U.
- The dangerous situation where the flight attitude or airspeed of an aircraft is outside the designed bounds of operation, possibly resulting in loss of control.
- A woven row supporting the foundation rods for the uprights of a basket.
Upset as a Verb
- To make (a person) angry, distressed, or unhappy.
I’m sure the bad news will upset him, but he needs to know.
- To disturb, disrupt or adversely alter (something).
Introducing a foreign species can upset the ecological balance.
- To tip or overturn (something).
- To defeat unexpectedly.
Truman upset Dewey in the 1948 US presidential election.
- To be upset or knocked over.
The carriage upset when the horse bolted.
- To set up; to put upright.
- To thicken and shorten a soft or heated piece of metal, by forging or hammering on the end, to shape, for example, rivets or internal combustion engine valves.
- To shorten (a tire) in the process of resetting, originally by cutting it and hammering on the ends.
- To support with an upset (type of woven row).
Noun
- (automobile insurance) An overturn.
"collision and upset": impact with another object or an overturn for whatever reason.
Verb
- To thicken and shorten, as a heated piece of iron, by hammering on the end.
Adjective
- (of a person) Angry, distressed or unhappy.
He was upset when she refused his friendship.
- (of a stomach or gastrointestinal tract, referred to as stomach) Feeling unwell, nauseated, or ready to vomit.
His stomach was upset, so he didn't want to move.
Synonyms of Upset
Upset in a Sentence
He was upset when she refused his friendship.
My children often get upset with their classmates.
His stomach was upset, so he didn't want to move.
Bryan came home from school with an upset tummy.
My late arrival caused the professor considerable upset.
"collision and upset": impact with another object or an overturn for whatever reason.
I’m sure the bad news will upset him, but he needs to know.
Introducing a foreign species can upset the ecological balance.
The fatty meat upset his stomach.
Truman upset Dewey in the 1948 US presidential election.
The carriage upset when the horse bolted.
Word Forms & Grammar
upset (comparative more upset, superlative most upset)
upset (countable and uncountable, plural upsets)
upset (third-person singular simple present upsets, present participle upsetting, simple past and past participle upset)
Words That Rhyme With Upset
Origin of Upset
From Middle English upset (“the act of setting up; establishment”), from Middle English upsetten, corresponding to up- + set. Cognate with Middle Low German upset (“setup; arrangement”).
How Do You Say Upset?
The standard pronunciation of upset is /ˈʌp.sɛt/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (ʌp).
Common Questions About Upset
Is upset an adjective or a noun?
Upset is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for upset?
You can replace upset with words such as distressed, trouble and troubled. See the full list of upset synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of upset?
The plural of upset is upsets.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of upset?
The comparative form is more upset and the superlative form is most upset.