as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
the frantic search left the room upside-down
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Recent Examples of upside-down
One untitled work from 1994 shows a strange monster—a guard bent over, gazing back at us between his own legs, his upside-down grin framed by his jackboots.
—
Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The gas cloud includes an upside-down question mark shape, which marks a structure scientists don't yet understand.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Highways suddenly turn to water, upside-down mountains float above the sea, and islands appear where there are none.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
But the pictures turned her world upside-down.
—Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
The crash left the SUV flipped upside-down in the middle of the street.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The rider hung onto his upside-down watercraft for an hour, as speeding boats raced by.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
The post also included the album cover, which shows Rodrigo upside-down on a swing.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Who knows if, in this upside-down world that currently weighs on her, the june bug can see the nearby corpse of another beetle, accidentally disemboweled by the home’s owner hours before, the white fat peeking out from her rear end like the materialization of her dying breath.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The gas cloud includes an upside-down question mark shape, which marks a structure scientists don't yet understand.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Highways suddenly turn to water, upside-down mountains float above the sea, and islands appear where there are none.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
But the pictures turned her world upside-down.
—Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
The crash left the SUV flipped upside-down in the middle of the street.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The rider hung onto his upside-down watercraft for an hour, as speeding boats raced by.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
The post also included the album cover, which shows Rodrigo upside-down on a swing.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Who knows if, in this upside-down world that currently weighs on her, the june bug can see the nearby corpse of another beetle, accidentally disemboweled by the home’s owner hours before, the white fat peeking out from her rear end like the materialization of her dying breath.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upside-down
Adjective
-
Everything was hot, simple and a little messy in the best way.—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
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Shared spaces were left messy, personal belongings spread throughout the house, decor rearranged and boundaries ignored.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The ex-con who shot NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller to death during a chaotic Queens car stop was hit Monday with the maximum sentence of 115 years to life behind bars.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
With less than a year until Chicago’s next mayoral election and amid a growing field of prospective candidates, more city residents hold a dim view of incumbent Brandon Johnson than a positive one about his often-chaotic first term at City Hall, a new poll shows.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Shaknovsky, 44, appeared confused as deputies pulled him from the car and handcuffed him at a busy intersection in Miramar Beach, Florida, the video shows.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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At the first sight of a passenger’s confused look in front of an elevator, a crew member will step in to offer assistance.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But the Pistons were sloppy with the ball and careless overall in a 94-88 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night, falling behind 3-1 in their first-round Eastern Conference series.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Wolves started out sloppy with nine first-quarter turnovers and finished with 25.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Trust us, this works a lot better than trying to check off multiple boxes and ending up with an area that just feels jumbled.—
Rachel Davies,
Architectural Digest,
15 Apr. 2026
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The musical, which examines in jumbled chronology the five-year relationship between novelist Jamie and actress Cathy, debuted in Chicago in 2001 and opened off Broadway the following year.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Reach-in coolers that didn’t keep food safe from bacteria growth and utensils stored in filthy spots shut down a Miami restaurant after inspection last week.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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Stanley dealers were not in cutthroat competition for filthy lucre.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Several Countertop Appliances In general, clutter does not feel timeless, and keeping every type of appliance out on the kitchen counters feels cluttered.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
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Between gardening supplies, sports equipment, pool toys, and grilling necessities, backyard spaces can quickly get cluttered.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upside-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upside-down. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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