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Prepositions after upset

Upset by, over, after, of or for?

Upset is most commonly followed by by or over. Other prepositions may appear in specific contexts or with different meanings.

Quick answer

Common combinations with upset

Use upset by for the cause of an emotion and upset over for a problem or situation. Upset after can describe time after an event. Upset of is uncommon in modern English, and upset for usually means feeling sympathy for someone.

She was upset by the comment.
He seemed upset over the delay.
They were upset after the meeting.
I felt upset for her after the news.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
upset by + cause

Showing what caused the emotion

Use by to introduce the thing or person that caused someone to feel upset.

We were upset by the sudden cancellation.
She looked upset by his reaction.
2
upset over + situation

Talking about problems or events

Use over for topics, arguments, decisions, or situations that create distress.

He is still upset over the mistake.
They became upset over the policy change.
3
upset after + event

Referring to a time after something happened

After usually functions as a time expression, not as the direct complement selected by upset.

She felt upset after the interview.
The children were upset after the storm.
4
upset for + person

Feeling bad on someone else's behalf

Use for when expressing sympathy or concern for another person.

I was upset for my brother.
They felt upset for the injured player.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
upset by
She was upset by the criticism.
The criticism caused the feeling.
upset over
He is upset over the result.
The result is the subject of concern or distress.
upset after
They were upset after the argument.
After introduces time following an event.
upset of
The phrase upset of is not standard in this meaning.
Modern English normally uses upset by or upset over instead.
upset for
I felt upset for the family.
Expresses sympathy for someone else.

Common mistakes

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

Using upset of for a cause

Modern English does not usually use of after upset in this meaning.

✕ She was upset of the decision. ✓ She was upset by the decision.

Confusing by and over

By focuses on the cause, while over often focuses on the topic or issue.

✕ He was upset by the exam result for days. ✓ He was upset over the exam result for days.

Using for when talking about your own problem

For usually expresses sympathy for another person.

✕ She was upset for the noise outside. ✓ She was upset by the noise outside.

Treating after as the main complement

After usually gives timing information.

✕ He was upset after the decision itself. ✓ He was upset by the decision.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was upset ___ the rude email.
2. They are still upset ___ the lost contract.
3. I felt upset ___ my friend when I heard the news.

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Frequently asked questions

Is upset by or upset over more common?

Both are standard. By emphasizes the cause, while over emphasizes the issue or situation.

Can I say upset after something?

Yes. After usually introduces a time relationship, as in upset after the interview.

Is upset of correct?

Not usually in modern English. Use upset by or upset over instead.

uncover, by, uncover, in "underline by" or "underline in"? undermine by, in, at, from or due? underpin by, for, with, of or other? underscore by, in, with, between or during? understand by, in, about, as or from? "undertake by" or "undertake in"? undo by, in, against, during or From? "unearth from" or "unearth by"? unfold in, before, on, at or for? "unite in" or "unite with"? "unleash on" or "unleash by"?

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