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upset
/ʌpˈsɛt/
unhappy or disappointed
She was upset when her flight was canceled.
She felt unhappy because her travel plans were ruined.
informal
unhappy, disappointed, or worried
He was upset about losing his job.
He felt sad and worried after being fired.
Commonly used to describe emotional distress.
informal
to make someone unhappy or worried
The bad news upset her deeply.
The negative information made her very sad.
Often used with indirect objects (e.g., 'upset someone').
formal
a disturbance or disorder
The upset in the financial markets was unexpected.
The sudden disruption in trading was surprising.
Used in technical or formal contexts.
Collocations
upset stomacha stomach that feels uncomfortable or painfulupset someoneto make someone feel sad or worriedupset aboutfeeling unhappy or disappointed regarding something
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'upset' as a noun
'Upset' can also mean a disturbance or disorder (e.g., 'an upset in the schedule'). Pay attention to context to distinguish between adjective, verb, and noun uses.
Gold Rule
Verb vs. Adjective
As a verb, 'upset' often takes an object (e.g., 'The news upset her'). As an adjective, it describes a state (e.g., 'She felt upset').
Word Origin
From Old English 'ūpsettan' (to overthrow), combining 'up' (up) + 'set' (to place). Originally meant 'to overturn physically,' later extended to emotional turmoil.
Usage Notes
As a verb, 'upset' can be regular (upset, upset, upsetting) or irregular (upset, upset, upsetting). Commonly used in everyday speech to describe emotional states.
Word Breakdown
up
to a higher position or state
prefixset
to place or arrange
rootEnglish Dictionary