upside down
Americanadverb
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with the upper part undermost.
-
in or into complete disorder; topsy-turvy.
The burglars turned the house upside down.
adjective
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(usually postpositive; upside-down when prenominal) turned over completely; inverted
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informal (upside-down when prenominal) confused; muddled; topsy-turvy
an upside-down world
adverb
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in an inverted fashion
-
in a chaotic or crazy manner
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of upside down
1300–50; re-formation ( see upside) of Middle English upsedoun, earlier up so doun ( see up, so 1, down 1; sense of so obscure)
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.
Humans, for instance, can drink through a straw while upside down and still breathe.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Ben Gannon-Doak turned North Macedonia inside out and upside down.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
The music industry might be upside down in 2026, but one formula that has proved tried and true is the transition from studio to the stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
But for these acclaimed chefs, extreme weather events and their habit of turning the kitchen upside down are nothing new.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
At some point my shoes light up and the hover feature activates, so that I’m hanging upside down in midair.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
