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
Examples of upsetting in a Sentence
the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Recent Examples on the Web
Anime and manga imagined both dystopian and utopian futures, using stories that were nostalgic, upsetting, or a blend of both to process collective trauma.
—Yii-Jan Lin, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
The idea of bringing new people to CMS, where hundreds of employees were recently fired as part of a sweeping reduction in force (RIF) at HHS, was upsetting to those who were present at the meeting.
—Leah Feiger, Wired News, 8 Apr. 2025
Their relationship comes off as a more realistic and enjoyable counterpoint to that other stranger one, wherein neither party dares to get too close for fear of invading comfort zones or upsetting the whole intergenerational shebang.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2025
Many of them are undoubtedly games when the underdog pulled off the stunning upset – UMBC beating Virginia in 2018; George Mason’s unbelievable Final Four run in 2006; Valparaiso’s 1998 win over Ole Miss; Princeton upsetting UCLA in 1996, etc.
—Alex Sherman, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
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Yii-Jan Lin, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
The idea of bringing new people to CMS, where hundreds of employees were recently fired as part of a sweeping reduction in force (RIF) at HHS, was upsetting to those who were present at the meeting.
—Leah Feiger, Wired News, 8 Apr. 2025
Their relationship comes off as a more realistic and enjoyable counterpoint to that other stranger one, wherein neither party dares to get too close for fear of invading comfort zones or upsetting the whole intergenerational shebang.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2025
Many of them are undoubtedly games when the underdog pulled off the stunning upset – UMBC beating Virginia in 2018; George Mason’s unbelievable Final Four run in 2006; Valparaiso’s 1998 win over Ole Miss; Princeton upsetting UCLA in 1996, etc.
—Alex Sherman, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsetting. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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