upsetting
adjective
up·set·ting
(ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ 
: mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing : causing feelings of worry or anxiety
heard some upsetting news
an upsetting experience
We're up to [a deficit of] $1.5 trillion a year …. These numbers are truly upsetting.—
Bill Gates
Bill GatesProfessors issue, or students demand, trigger warnings when presenting material that might be upsetting to some: depictions of rape, sexism, racism, suicide.—Yvonne Abraham
Yvonne Abraham
upsettingly
adverb
an upsettingly graphic depiction of violence
In comparison to male historical figures, the number of women that we learn about throughout school is upsettingly low.
—Alexis Gardner
Alexis Gardner
Synonyms
Examples of upsetting in a Sentence
the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Recent Examples on the Web
Some take offense, while others see the too-far elements as deliberate subversions of upsetting concepts.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 May 2024
Such behavior can be upsetting or even traumatizing to the cosplayers and can keep them from returning to certain cons or even quit the hobby altogether.
—Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 21 May 2024
Why not address the person or company directly (not their boss or mother company) who is upsetting you and communicate constructively versus voicing your frustration out to the world of online forums?
—Susan Johnston, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2024
He was elected to Congress from San Mateo County to fill a vacancy created by the death of Representative J. Arthur Younger, upsetting Ms. Black and other candidates.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Elisabeth eventually learns that upsetting the balance of the experiment reduces her vitality.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Just as upsetting as their encounters with the protesters, the three workers recounted in interviews this week, was their feeling that the university had not done enough to prevent the attack or to help them once the building was under siege.
—Sharon Otterman, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Releasing more adults would populate new areas, potentially upsetting ranchers and neighboring residents.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
Even with the best intentions of showing the perseverance of the human spirit and how love finds a way, these were highly upsetting events that led to massive generational trauma.
—Amber Dowling, Variety, 2 May 2024
Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 May 2024
Such behavior can be upsetting or even traumatizing to the cosplayers and can keep them from returning to certain cons or even quit the hobby altogether.
—Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 21 May 2024
Why not address the person or company directly (not their boss or mother company) who is upsetting you and communicate constructively versus voicing your frustration out to the world of online forums?
—Susan Johnston, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2024
He was elected to Congress from San Mateo County to fill a vacancy created by the death of Representative J. Arthur Younger, upsetting Ms. Black and other candidates.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Elisabeth eventually learns that upsetting the balance of the experiment reduces her vitality.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Just as upsetting as their encounters with the protesters, the three workers recounted in interviews this week, was their feeling that the university had not done enough to prevent the attack or to help them once the building was under siege.
—Sharon Otterman, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Releasing more adults would populate new areas, potentially upsetting ranchers and neighboring residents.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
Even with the best intentions of showing the perseverance of the human spirit and how love finds a way, these were highly upsetting events that led to massive generational trauma.
—Amber Dowling, Variety, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upsetting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upsetting
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsetting. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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