upsetting

adjective

up·​set·​ting (ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ How to pronounce upsetting (audio)
Synonyms of upsettingnext
: mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing : causing feelings of worry or anxiety
heard some upsetting news
an upsetting experience
We're up to [a deficit of] $1.5 trillion a year … . These numbers are truly upsetting.—Bill Gates
Professors issue, or students demand, trigger warnings when presenting material that might be upsetting to some: depictions of rape, sexism, racism, suicide.—Yvonne Abraham
upsettingly adverb
an upsettingly graphic depiction of violence
In comparison to male historical figures, the number of women that we learn about throughout school is upsettingly low. —Alexis Gardner

Synonyms of upsetting

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of upsetting in a Sentence

the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Have any of you guys been haunted by the frankly upsetting scene in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey in which Circe cooks what can only be described as a very messed up stew? — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026 In the most upsetting clip, a performing robot kicks a child in the stomach. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026 This can help prevent the patient from stumbling across information that’s difficult to understand, potentially upsetting, or just plain irrelevant to their own situation. — Nicole Pajer, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026 There are some sad ironies stitched into the plot, and an upsetting late twist, though the show doesn’t wallow in it. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for upsetting

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upsetting was in 1872

Rhymes for upsetting

See All Rhymes for upsetting

Browse Nearby Words

upset the apple cart
upsetting
upshift
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsetting. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on upsetting

Nglish: Translation of upsetting for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All