upsetting
- tending to disturb or upset: an upsetting experience.
Origin of upsetting
upset
- to overturn: to upset a pitcher of milk.
- to disturb mentally or emotionally; perturb: The incident upset her.
- to disturb or derange completely; put out of order; throw into disorder: to upset a system; to upset a mechanism; to upset an apartment.
- to disturb physically: It upset his stomach.
- to defeat or overthrow an opponent that is considered more formidable, as in war, politics, or sports.
- Metalworking. to thicken the end of (a piece of heated metal) by hammering on the end against the length of the piece.
- to become upset or overturned.
- an upsetting or instance of being upset; overturn; overthrow.
- the defeat of a person, team, etc., that is considered more formidable.
- a nervous, irritable state of mind.
- a disordered or confused arrangement.
- Metalworking.
- a tool used for upsetting.
- something that is upset, as a bar end.
- overturned: an upset milk pail.
- disordered; disorganized: The house is upset.
- distressed; disturbed: She had an upset stomach. He is emotionally upset.
- Archaic. raised up.
Origin of upset
Synonyms for upset
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms for upset
Related Words for upsetting
troublesome, embarrassing, annoying, worrisome, distressing, startling, alarming, threatening, discouraging, irritating, unpleasant, inconvenient, painful, disquieting, depressing, disruptive, trying, frightening, tiresome, creepyExamples from the Web for upsetting
Contemporary Examples of upsetting
Roberts has shown a tendency in other political law cases to make broad pronouncements, upsetting precedent.
What is upsetting, especially in a book about what Dunham has “learned,” is how much weight she puts on being in a relationship.
Most recently, Grothman attacked Secretary of State John Kerry for upsetting God.
On the other hand, upsetting and alienating a large percentage of the population such as the Sunnis is a recipe for disaster.
And, yes, this conversation must include addressing the role Islam plays—even at the risk of upsetting some of my fellow Muslims.
Historical Examples of upsetting
This upsetting of her plans and hopes worried Thankful not a little.
Thankful's InheritanceJoseph C. Lincoln
They keep 'phoning and telegraphing and upsetting things generally.
The Rise of Roscoe PaineJoseph C. Lincoln
This pressure of interrogation was upsetting the restraint he was putting on himself.
The Twins of Suffering CreekRidgwell Cullum
You understand that nothing is more disturbing than the upsetting of a preconceived idea.
ChanceJoseph Conrad
What I feared was a shrill note escaping me involuntarily and upsetting my balance.
The Shadow-LineJoseph Conrad
upsetting
- 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
upset
- (also intr) to tip or be tipped over; overturn, capsize, or spill
- to disturb the normal state, course, or stability ofto upset the balance of nature
- to disturb mentally or emotionally
- to defeat or overthrow, usually unexpectedly
- to make physically illseafood always upsets my stomach
- to thicken or spread (the end of a bar, rivet, etc) by forging, hammering, or swagging
- an unexpected defeat or reversal, as in a contest or plans
- a disturbance or disorder of the emotions, body, etc
- a tool used to upset a bar or rivet; swage
- a forging or bar that has been upset in preparation for further processing
- overturned or capsized
- emotionally or physically disturbed or distressed
- disordered; confused
- defeated or overthrown
Word Origin for upset
Word Origin and History for upsetting
upset
mid-15c., "to set up, fix," from up + set (v.). Cf. Middle Dutch opsetten, German aufsetzen. Modern sense of "overturn, capsize" (1803) is that of obsolete overset. Meaning "to throw into mental discomposure" is from 1805. The noun sense of "overturning of a vehicle or boat" is recorded from 1804.