upset for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "upset for" is acceptable and can be used in written English.
For example, "My mom was upset for me when I failed my test."

News & Media

Sports

Personal Experiences

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Several fans were upset for another reason.

The New York Times - Sports

Beverly is upset for another reason.

The New York Times

As usual, the politicians were upset for the wrong reasons.

The New York Times - Arts

But we Germans are getting upset for the wrong reasons.

The New York Times

It begins with a calculated upset for English speakers.

The New York Times

"But I was upset for another reason too," he admitted.

The New York Times - Arts

"Hey George, I don't mind you being upset for Terry.

The New York Times - Sports

He says he's "been upset for a long time".

The Guardian

She threw her arms in the air, clearly upset for the missed opportunity.

The New York Times - Sports

I felt upset for her: "Revelations" without any revelations at all.

The New York Times - Arts

She wasn't impressed on her own behalf, and she was even more upset for her students.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "upset for", ensure it clearly conveys empathy or concern for someone else's situation, rather than personal anger or frustration. For example, "I am upset for her because she lost her job" clarifies the intent.

Common error

Avoid using "upset for" when expressing personal frustration. Instead of saying "I'm upset for the delay", which is grammatically awkward, use "I'm upset about the delay" or "I'm frustrated by the delay" to express your own feelings accurately.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upset for" functions as a prepositional phrase expressing empathy or concern on behalf of someone else. Ludwig examples show it's used to convey feeling bad for someone's situation, rather than personal distress.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Sports

25%

Personal Experiences

20%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upset for" is a prepositional phrase used to express empathy or concern for someone else's situation. According to Ludwig, while grammatically acceptable, it is crucial to use it correctly to avoid confusion with personal feelings of frustration (best expressed with the preposition "about"). It commonly appears in news, sports and personal contexts. The phrase's function is to convey sympathy, and its register is generally neutral. Despite the fact that the term is grammatically acceptable, keep in mind that it is often more natural to express your own frustration with "I am upset with myself".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disappointed for

Expresses a feeling of disappointment on behalf of someone else.

saddened for

Conveys a sense of sadness or sorrow for someone's situation.

concerned for

Indicates worry or concern about someone's well-being or situation.

sorry for

Expresses sympathy or regret for someone's misfortune.

sympathetic to

Shows understanding and compassion towards someone's suffering.

feeling bad for

An informal way of saying you feel sorry or empathetic towards someone.

distressed about

Emphasizes a state of anxiety or worry regarding someone or something.

aggrieved for

Expresses a sense of injustice or unfairness on behalf of someone else; less common.

disheartened for

Highlights a feeling of discouragement or loss of spirit regarding someone's situation.

pained for

Suggests a deep emotional suffering or empathy towards someone's pain.

FAQs

How can I use "upset for" in a sentence?

Use "upset for" to express empathy or concern for someone else's negative experience. For example, "I was "upset for" my friend when she didn't get the promotion".

What are some alternatives to saying "upset for"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "disappointed for", "saddened for", or "concerned for" to express similar sentiments.

Is it correct to say "I am upset for myself"?

While grammatically understandable, it's more common and natural to say "I am upset with myself" or "I am upset at myself" to express disappointment or frustration with your own actions.

What's the difference between "upset for" and "upset about"?

"Upset for" typically expresses empathy towards someone else, while "upset about" usually indicates personal frustration or disappointment. For example, "I'm "upset for" my sister" (empathy), versus "I'm "upset about" the weather" (personal frustration).