Upsetting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /(ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ/ up·set·ting

Meaning & Definition of Upsetting

Upsetting (adjective)

  1. mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing, causing feelings of worry or anxiety

Upsetting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing worry or anxiety

    "the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother"

    similar: discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nagging, nasty, perturbing, troublesome, troubling, troublous, unsettling, worrisome
    related: daunting, demoralizing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, chilling, frightening, scary, harassing, persecutive, persecutory, alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, shocking, terrible, terrifying
    opposite: reassuring
    near: calming, quieting, settling, soothing, comforting, consoling, dreamy, inviting, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing

Upsetting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed"

    similar: agitating, ailing, alarming, bothering, concerning, derailing, discomforting, discomposing, dismaying, disquieting, distempering, distracting, distressing, disturbing, exercising, flurrying, frazzling, freaking (out), fussing, hagriding, perturbing, undoing, unhinging, unsettling, weirding out, worrying
    related: aggravating, angering, annoying, bugging, chafing, chivying, exasperating, fretting, galling, getting, grating, harassing, harrying, irking, irritating, nettling, peeving, pestering, piquing, putting off, putting out, riling, vexing, bedeviling, haunting, plaguing, abashing, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discountenancing, embarrassing, fazing, flustering, jarring, mortifying, nonplussing, rattling, shaking up, daunting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, unnerving
    opposite: calming, composing, quieting, settling, soothing, tranquilizing
    near: allaying, alleviating, assuaging, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating, propitiating

  2. to turn on one's side or upside down

    "the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care"

    similar: capsizing, overturning, turning over, turning turtle
    related: inverting, oversetting, overthrowing, pitchpoling, toppling, tumping (over) (chiefly Southern), upending, careening, heeling, keeling, leaning, listing, tilting, tipping, collapsing, falling, foundering, giving
    opposite: righting
    near: standing up, straightening (up), erecting, raising

  3. to undo the proper order or arrangement of

    "the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine"

    similar: confusing, deranging, disarranging, disarraying, discomposing, disheveling, disjointing, dislocating, disordering, disorganizing, disrupting, disturbing, hashing, jumbling, messing (up), mixing (up), muddling, mussing, rumpling, scrambling, shuffling, tousling, tumbling
    related: embroiling, entangling, snarling, tangling, agitating, perturbing, stirring (up), unsettling, cluttering
    opposite: arranging, arraying, disposing, drawing up, marshaling, ordering, organizing, ranging, regulating, straightening (up), tidying
    near: aligning, lining, lining up, queuing, classifying, codifying, methodizing, systematizing, systemizing, adjusting, fixing, grooming, making up, sprucing (up), unscrambling

Related Entry: Upset (verb)

Upset is a different word from Upsetting. The synonyms below are for upset, not for upsetting.

  1. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed"

    similar: agitate, ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

  2. to turn on one's side or upside down

    "the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care"

    similar: capsize, overturn, turn over, turn turtle
    related: invert, overset, overthrow, pitchpole, topple, tump (over) (chiefly Southern), upend, careen, heel, keel, lean, list, tilt, tip, collapse, fall, founder, give
    opposite: right
    near: stand up, straighten (up), erect, raise

  3. to undo the proper order or arrangement of

    "the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine"

    similar: confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble
    related: embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle, agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle, clutter
    opposite: arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy
    near: align, line, line up, queue, classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize, adjust, fix, groom, make up, spruce (up), unscramble

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Upsetting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Upsetting:

discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nagging, nasty, perturbing, troublesome, troubling, troublous, unsettling, worrisome, agitating, ailing, alarming, bothering, concerning, derailing, dismaying, distempering, distracting, exercising, flurrying, frazzling, freaking (out), fussing, hagriding, undoing, unhinging, weirding out, worrying, capsizing, overturning, turning over, confusing, deranging, disarranging, disarraying, disheveling

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Upsetting

Words with the opposite meaning of Upsetting:

reassuring, calming, composing, quieting, settling, soothing, tranquilizing, righting, arranging, arraying, disposing, drawing up, marshaling, ordering, organizing, ranging, regulating, straightening (up), tidying

Related Words for Upsetting

daunting, demoralizing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, chilling, frightening, scary, harassing, persecutive, persecutory, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, shocking, terrible

Near Antonyms of Upsetting

comforting, consoling, dreamy, inviting, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, relaxing, sedative, allaying, alleviating, assuaging, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, placating, propitiating, standing up, erecting, raising, aligning, lining, lining up, queuing, classifying, codifying, methodizing, systematizing, systemizing, adjusting

Word Forms of Upsetting

Derived words: upsettingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Upsetting

First known use: 1872

Frequently Asked Questions about Upsetting

What does "Upsetting" mean?

"Upsetting" means mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing, causing feelings of worry or anxiety. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing, causing feelings of worry or anxiety. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Upsetting"?

Other words for "Upsetting" include discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nagging, nasty and perturbing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Upsetting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Upsetting"?

There are 149 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Upsetting". Common alternatives include discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nagging, nasty, perturbing, troublesome and troubling.

What is the opposite of "Upsetting"?

Antonyms of "Upsetting" include reassuring, calming, composing, quieting, settling, soothing, tranquilizing and righting. Near antonyms include comforting, consoling, dreamy and inviting.

How do you use "Upsetting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Upsetting" in a sentence: "the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother"; "the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed"; "the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care".

Is "Upsetting" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Upsetting" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Upsetting"?

"Upsetting" is pronounced /(ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ/ and divided into syllables as up·set·ting.

What is the origin of the word "Upsetting"?

First known use: 1872.