to make someone feel unhappy, worried, or angry
The rude comment upset her so much that she left the room.
Please don’t upset the baby by turning on the vacuum cleaner.
✦ Old sense of physically “overturning” extended metaphorically to emotions in the 18th century.
to knock something over so it spills or falls
I accidentally upset the cup and coffee splashed everywhere.
A strong wind upset the picnic basket, scattering sandwiches over the grass.
✦ Earliest 14th-century sense of physically turning something on its side or head.
to defeat someone who is expected to win
The underdogs upset the defending champions in a 2–1 victory.
Her surprise win upset the tournament’s top seed.
✦ Sports writers adopted the emotional sense to describe shocking victories in the early 20th century.
