English Reference

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.

“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.”

Synonyms

disruptdisturbdisorganize

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.

“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.”

Synonyms

overturncapsizetip

Antonyms

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.”

Antonyms

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.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

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.”

Synonyms

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

downset

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

AviationMathematicsPoliticsSports

This entry

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

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