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

Professors issue, or students demand, trigger warnings when presenting material that might be upsetting to some: depictions of rape, sexism, racism, suicide.

—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

Synonyms

• discomforting
• discomposing
• disquieting
• distressing
• disturbing
• nagging
• nasty
• perturbing
• troublesome
• troubling
• troublous
• unsettling
• worrisome

Examples of upsetting in a Sentence

the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother

Recent Examples on the Web

Just as upsetting is the E.D. itself (short for Emergency Department, since they’re not called E.Rs. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Jan. 2025

In its place is now Palm Tree Club, an upscale hotel, dining and event space that's already upsetting its new neighbors. —Sommer Brugal, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025

There have been rumors of Holland and Zendaya getting hitched for a while, culminating in some of the most upsetting AI art your aunt could ever share on Facebook. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025

But without Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Travis Kelce and Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs are not upsetting the Broncos. —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 5 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above