Meaning & use
upsets
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“upsets” is a form of “upset”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Makes someone feel unhappy, worried or distressed.
Grammar: Third person singular of upset, with an object: the news upsets her.
Patterns
- something upsets someone
- someone upsets someone
It upsets me when people leave litter in the park.
One loud argument upsets her for days, but she tries to stay calm.
He upsets his sister by forgetting her birthday.
verbtransitive
Disturbs the normal order of something or knocks it over.
Grammar: Takes an object: upsets the balance.
Patterns
- something upsets something
A late delivery upsets the whole schedule.
The cat upsets the vase whenever it jumps on the table.
A sudden jump in prices upsets the whole market.
nounpluralsport
Surprising defeats in a contest, where the favorite loses to a weaker opponent.
Grammar: Plural of the noun upset: one upset, several upsets.
Patterns
- a series of upsets
- cause upsets
The tournament produced several upsets in the first round.
Cup competitions are famous for shock upsets.
Two big upsets knocked the top seeds out.
nounpluralmedical
Minor illnesses or disorders, especially of the stomach, or small disturbances or troubles.
Grammar: Often with a body part: stomach upsets.
Patterns
- stomach upsets
Travelers sometimes get stomach upsets from unfamiliar food.
Mild upsets usually clear up after a day of rest.
Word forms
| singular | upset |
|---|---|
| past tense of verb | upset |
| -ing form of verb | upsetting |
Common combinations
- stomach upsets
- Drinking clean water helps avoid stomach upsets.
- shock upsets
- The league had a few shock upsets this season.
- upsets the balance
- Overfishing upsets the balance of the ecosystem.
- upsets the schedule
- Bad weather upsets the schedule every winter.
- upsets the applecart
- Anything new upsets the applecart for the team.
Synonyms and how they differ
- distresses
- Distresses is stronger than upsets and suggests deeper pain or worry.
- disturbs
- Disturbs can mean interrupt as well as worry, so it is wider than upsets.
- disrupts
- Disrupts is mainly for plans and systems, while upsets can be about feelings as well.
- shocks
- Shocks implies surprise first, whereas upsets focuses on sadness or annoyance.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: upsets or upsides?
upsets vs upsides
Upsides are advantages or good points, not disturbances or defeats.
Practice
The cup tournament was full of ___, with three top teams losing in the first round.
Choose one answer.
Upsets are surprising defeats of favorites. Upsides are advantages, uplifts are boosts, and updates are new information.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “upsets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.