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Prepositions after adjectives

Upset about or upset with?

Upset about usually refers to a situation or topic. Upset with usually refers to a person or organisation.

Quick answer

How do you use upset with prepositions?

Use upset about for events, news, or problems. Use upset with for people whose actions caused the feeling.

She was upset about the exam results.
I'm upset with my neighbour.
They were upset about the delay.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
upset about + situation

Reacting to events or topics

About introduces the thing causing concern, disappointment, or sadness.

He was upset about the cancellation.
They are upset about the recent changes.
2
upset with + person

Being unhappy with someone

With commonly refers to a person, group, or organisation.

She is upset with her manager.
I'm still upset with the airline.
3
upset at + event

Alternative with at

At is also common, especially for immediate reactions to events or behaviour.

He was upset at the comment.
They looked upset at the decision.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
upset about
We were upset about the mistake.
concerned or unhappy about a situation
upset with
She is upset with her brother.
angry or unhappy with a person
upset at
He was upset at the news.
reacting negatively to something specific
upset for
She felt upset for a while.
for here expresses duration, not the usual complement after upset

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using with for situations

With usually refers to people or organisations.

✕ She was upset with the weather. ✓ She was upset about the weather.

Using about for a person

About is less natural when referring directly to the person causing the problem.

✕ I'm upset about my colleague. ✓ I'm upset with my colleague.

Confusing upset with duration expressions

For can describe time, not the cause of the emotion.

✕ He was upset for the delay. ✓ He was upset about the delay.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They were upset ___ the long wait.
2. She is upset ___ her roommate.
3. He was upset ___ the rude remark.

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Frequently asked questions

Can upset with mean angry?

Yes. Upset with often suggests annoyance or anger toward someone.

Is upset about always emotional?

Yes. It describes emotional concern, disappointment, or sadness about something.

Can I use upset at instead of upset about?

Often yes. Upset at is common for immediate reactions to news, comments, or actions.

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