Synonyms

upsetting

American

[uhp-set-ing] / ʌpˈsɛt ɪŋ /

adjective

tending to disturb or upset.

an upsetting experience.

upsetting British

/ ʌpˈsɛtɪŋ /

noun

metallurgy the process of hammering the end of a heated bar of metal so that its width is increased locally, as in the manufacture of bolts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of upsetting

First recorded in 1870–75; upset + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This story contains details about human composting funeral services which some readers may find upsetting.

From BBC

But Kosovo have developed a taste for upsetting the odds.

From BBC

Tracy says she "cannot describe how upsetting and frustrating" it was to deal with NS&I when trying to find her late father's premium bonds.

From BBC

CoreWeave executives and advisers have privately indicated to other chip companies that they are reluctant to use non-Nvidia chips for fear of upsetting their benefactor, according to people who have heard the remarks.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's quite upsetting because I've worked really hard for the last three years to achieve a 2:1 just to be rejected for not having experience."

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023