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

According to Trump's cousin and family historian John Walter, this fabrication was maintained at the request of Fred Trump to avoid upsetting Jewish friends and clients in the post-war period. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

This is an interesting, if upsetting, phenomenon, showing how online communities are divorced from reality and how social media can enable some of the worst sides of humanity. —Callum Booth, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Is there a subtle, useful way to redirect a political conversation that's starting to feel upsetting? First and foremost, prioritize the relationship. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024

Life is a lot more upsetting — and that’s saying something! —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above