put-upon
adjective
imposed upon; ill-used.
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put-upon
American
[poot-uh-pon, -pawn]
/ ˈpʊt əˌpɒn, -ˌpɔn /
adjective
put upon
British
verb
-
to presume on (a person's generosity, good nature, etc); take advantage of
he's always being put upon
-
to impose hardship on; maltreat
Etymology
Origin of put-upon
First recorded in 1915–20
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.
Not, of course, that poor, put-upon Catherine, who spent most of her married life being pregnant, is the only victim.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
While Mescal’s no stranger to playing the put-upon father in his relatively brief yet prolific career, his brooding verges on laughable.
From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025
Taking these roles together, especially “Friendship” and “The Dutchman,” in one of them you’re this put-upon wife and the other one you’re this whirlwind, demonic vixen.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2025
Firstborn daughters are having a moment in the spotlight, at least online, with memes and think pieces offering a sense of gratification to responsible, put-upon big sisters everywhere.
From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2024
Hermione was already queuing outside, carrying an armful of heavy books and looking put-upon.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
