upset
/ʌpˈsɛt/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.61 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Angry, distressed, or unhappy
noun
An upper set; a subset (X,≤) of a partially ordered set with the property that, if x is in U and x≤y, then y is in U.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "He was upset when she refused his friendship."
- "My children often get upset with their classmates."
- "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."
- "His stomach was upset, so he didn't want to move."
- "Bryan came home from school with an upset tummy."
- "My late arrival caused the professor considerable upset."
Etymology
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”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: upset, upsetten
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ʌpˈsɛt/
- British English: /ʌpˈsɛt/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more upset (comparative)
most upset (superlative)
upsets (plural)
upsets (present, singular)
upsetting (participle, present)