utterly upset

USAGE SUMMARY

"utterly upset" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is usually used to describe a strong emotion, such as being extremely angry or disappointed. An example sentence is: "The news that his team had lost the championship match left him utterly upset."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It utterly upset the small-holder character of the original Constitution, with its deeply ingrained mistrust of corporations and other large economic institutions.

Huffington Post

Gillies and Johnson became hugely influential on English football for their version of the "whirl" and the "switch" system which utterly upset the traditional 1 11 formations in England.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As I write this, Street Fighter V is utterly broken on its day of release and people are understandably upset.

Forbes

Utterly broken.

Huffington Post

It has already been an astounding postseason for N.H.L. fans, who have witnessed two utterly unforeseeable upsets from the Canadiens and a comeback for the ages from the Flyers — a rally from a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins that included a Game 7 comeback after being behind by a score of 3-0.

The New York Times - Sports

While crowdfunding has utterly failed at upsetting this, it has shown that it doesn't take Robert Noyce and the traitorous eight to create entirely new innovation ecosystems where power has nothing to do with your Twitter followers or limited partners.

TechCrunch

Lest there be any hint here of the "utterly subliminal nastiness" that occasionally upsets Mr Corbyn, I cannot emphasise too liminally that women are visible in The Outsider.

The Guardian - Opinion

Hail the Student Princes To the Sports Editor: Re "Unflinching Underdog Working on an Upset," Oct. 15: How utterly refreshing to read of Heidelberg University's Davidic, nay quixotic, rendezvous with destiny in the form of invincible Mount Union.

The New York Times - Sports

The first waitress keenly recommended a wine and was upset when we didn't utterly love it.

Independent

Corker, who upset the president after opposing his tax bill, responded by calling Trump an "utterly untruthful president".

Vice

"It seems I must have utterly failed to get across what I was actually trying to say and instead offended and upset people who didn't deserve to be offended or upset".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "utterly upset" to emphasize a strong feeling of disappointment or disturbance, particularly when something unexpected has occurred.

Common error

Avoid using "utterly upset" for minor inconveniences. This phrase conveys a significant level of distress, so reserve it for situations where the emotional impact is genuinely substantial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "utterly upset" functions as an adverb-adjective combination to intensify the feeling of being upset. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct, with "utterly" serving to amplify the adjective "upset".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "utterly upset" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey a strong feeling of disappointment or disturbance. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It is relatively rare but suitable for neutral contexts, particularly in news and media. While it effectively emphasizes the emotional impact, it's important to reserve its usage for situations where the distress is genuinely significant. For milder discomfort, alternative phrases like "slightly annoyed" may be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely disturbed

This alternative emphasizes the feeling of being bothered or disrupted, replacing "upset" with "disturbed".

absolutely devastated

This alternative conveys a sense of complete ruin or destruction, which is a more extreme emotional state than being "upset".

totally distraught

This phrase suggests a high level of emotional distress, swapping "upset" for "distraught" to amplify the intensity.

profoundly disturbed

This amplifies the sense of being unsettled and disrupted, implying a deeper level of emotional impact than just "upset".

deeply troubled

This alternative highlights the internal worry and concern associated with being "upset", using "troubled" to convey a more thoughtful distress.

extremely bothered

This option uses "bothered" to express annoyance and disturbance, which is a less intense form of being "upset".

genuinely disappointed

This focuses on the feeling of letdown and unmet expectations, offering a more specific emotion related to being "upset".

entirely shaken

This phrase focuses on the feeling of being unsettled or destabilized by something, rather than just being emotionally "upset".

really frustrated

This conveys a sense of being blocked or prevented from achieving something, highlighting the agitation that can accompany being "upset".

thoroughly aggravated

This suggests a state of annoyance or irritation, framing the feeling as more provoked than simply "upset".

FAQs

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

You can use "utterly upset" to describe someone's strong emotional reaction to disappointing or disturbing news. For example: "She was utterly upset by the sudden change in plans."

What are some alternatives to "utterly upset"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "completely disturbed", "totally distraught", or "deeply troubled".

Is it grammatically correct to say "utterly upset"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Utterly" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "upset", intensifying its meaning.

What is the difference between "upset" and "utterly upset"?

"Upset" describes a general feeling of unhappiness or disturbance. Adding "utterly" intensifies the feeling, suggesting a more profound level of distress or disappointment.