Upset Meaning
/ʌpˈsɛt/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjAngry, distressed, or unhappy
adjFeeling unwell, nauseated, or ready to vomit.
Sentence Examples
I'm sorry to upset your plans.
The journalist was too upset to distinguish vice from virtue.
I understand how upset you must be feeling.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The unexpected news ____ her so much that she could not stop crying.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was very ____ when she realized that she had lost her favorite necklace during her morning walk today.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"We were shocked when we asked a disruptive man in the front row to move to the back, and when he subsequently left, the producer's helpers were so upset for him they gave him two free tickets to the next 'women's music' production."
— 1981 December 5, Jana Runnals, Rosemary Schonfeld, “The Liberalisation of 'Women's Music'”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 20, page 9:
"But it is probably the biggest upset for the away side since Ronnie Radford smashed a famous goal as Hereford defeated Newcastle 2-1 in 1972."
— 2011 January 8, Paul Fletcher, “Stevenage 3 - 1 Newcastle”, in BBC:
"Sanders’s win in Michigan was one of the greatest upsets in modern political history."
— 2016 March 9, Harry Enten, “What The Stunning Bernie Sanders Win In Michigan Means”, in FiveThirtyEight:
"The sudden rise of Shah’s party is a stunning upset for the small Himalayan country of 30 million wedged between India and China."
— 2026 March 11, Chad de Guzman, “Who Is Balendra Shah, the Rapper On Track to Become Nepal’s Next Prime Minister”, in TIME, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2026:
"“Bob, let's cancel the baby sitter. With this upset stomach, I can't go out tonight.”
“Sure you can, Liz! Try Pepto-Bismol. Hospital tests prove it relieves upsets. And it's great for indigestion or nausea, too!”"
— 1958 May 12, Life, volume 44, number 19, advertisements, page 110:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The unexpected news ____ her so much that she could not stop crying.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was very ____ when she realized that she had lost her favorite necklace during her morning walk today.