put-upon

adjective

put-up·​on ˈpu̇t-ə-ˌpȯn How to pronounce put-upon (audio)
-ˌpän
: imposed upon : taken advantage of

Examples of put-upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Norris did, and scored the leading role of a put-upon trucker in Breaker! — Bob Mondello, NPR, 20 Mar. 2026 Raphael nails every line delivery, Woods gets to unleash his wild side from time to time (while usually trapped in a beta bear), and Jalees helps make her put-upon fox endearing and entertaining. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026 The latter is less of a mother to Agnes than Rosa (Kira Guloien), one of the household’s many Marthas (put-upon domestic servants). — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026 As sportswriter Raymond Barone, Romano kept the laughs coming through interactions with his overbearing parents and put-upon wife Debra. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for put-upon

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of put-upon was in 1866

Rhymes for put-upon

See All Rhymes for put-upon

Browse Nearby Words

put-up job
put-upon
put up or shut up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Put-upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put-upon. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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