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.
The car had flipped during the crash, leaving most of the vehicle upside down and underwater, according to a photo shared from the scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Turn a tire upside down or on its side, and the water will flow within it to whatever section is now at the bottom.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
AI is turning that assumption upside down as more entrepreneurs go it alone, with a growing class generating over $1 million in revenue without hiring a single employee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
"In June last year, I received news that turned my world upside down," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Albie Schaffhauser,” I said, standing on my tiptoes to look at the list upside down.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
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.
