Word
upset
Phoneticsup·set, stress on the first syllable
/ˈəpˌsɛt/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
upset
Past
upset
Past participle
upset
Definitions
01to make someone sad
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make someone feel unhappy, worried, or angry.
v. to disturb the emotional state of a person, causing distress or agitation. Transitive — requires a person or group as the object.
Español:desazonar
“I am sorry if my comments about the project upset you.”
“The news of the sudden layoffs upset the entire department, leading to a significant drop in morale and productivity.”
02to disrupt a plan
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to change a plan or situation so that it no longer works well.
v. to disturb or adversely alter the typical order, state, or functioning of something.
“The sudden rainstorm upset our plans for a picnic in the park.”
“The unexpected shift in interest rates threatened to upset the delicate balance of the national economy.”
03to knock over
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to accidentally push something over so that it falls.
v. to tip over or overturn an object, typically by accident.
日本語:覆す※
“The cat jumped on the table and upset a glass of water.”
“The gust of wind was strong enough to upset the small sailing boat, forcing the crew to swim to shore.”
04feeling sad or angry
B1 · Intermediate
adj. feeling unhappy, worried, or angry because of something bad that happened.
adj. distressed or agitated in mind or feelings. Often used predicatively after a linking verb.
“She was very upset when she heard that she didn't get the job.”
“The residents were visibly upset by the council's decision to demolish the historic community centre.”
Synonyms
05feeling sick
B1 · Intermediate Medicine
adj. feeling like you might vomit or having a stomach ache.
adj. relating to a physical state of nausea or gastrointestinal distress.
“I have an upset stomach after eating that spicy seafood last night.”
“The patient reported feeling generally upset and nauseated following the administration of the new medication.”
06an unexpected win
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. a situation where a person or team wins when they were expected to lose.
n. an unexpected victory by an underdog in a sporting or political contest.
“The local team's victory over the champions was the biggest upset of the season.”
“Political analysts were stunned by the electoral upset, as the newcomer defeated the incumbent by a significant margin.”
07aircraft loss of control
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Aviation Technical
n. a dangerous situation where a plane is not flying correctly and the pilot might lose control.
n. an aircraft state characterized by unintended departures from the normal flight envelope, requiring immediate recovery actions.
“The pilot was trained to recover the plane from a sudden upset during a storm.”
“The flight data recorder indicated that the aircraft entered an upset condition shortly after the autopilot disengaged in heavy turbulence.”
08mathematical set
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical
n. a special group of numbers or items in math where if one item is included, all 'larger' items are too.
n. a subset of a partially ordered set such that if an element is in the subset, all elements greater than it are also included.
“In this diagram, the shaded area represents an upset in the ordered group.”
“The researcher demonstrated that the intersection of any two upsets in a partially ordered set is itself an upset.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “upset” in context.
Verb
01. deeply upset his parents
“His decision to leave school deeply upset his parents.”
adv + verb + noun
02. upset the balance of nature
“Pollution can easily upset the balance of nature in this area.”
verb + noun + of + noun
03. upset the stomach
“Eating spicy food late at night often upsets the stomach.”
verb + noun
Noun
04. major upset in the final
“The young player caused a major upset in the final by beating the champion.”
adj + noun + prep + noun
05. stomach upset
“He stayed home from work today because of a minor stomach upset.”
noun + noun
Adverb
06. deliberately upset the plans
“He deliberately upset the plans because he was angry with us.”
adv + verb + noun
07. easily upset by criticism
“She is very sensitive and is easily upset by criticism.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
Etymology
From Middle English upset (“the act of setting up; establishment”), from Middle English upsetten, corresponding to up- + set. Cognate with Middle Low German upset (“setup; arrangement”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/upset
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0