topsy-turvy.

1. Upside down or with the usual top and bottom reversed.

2. Confused or disordered, with the usual arrangement or priorities reversed.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• turn topsy-turvy
• a topsy-turvy arrangement

On the page

The crate landed topsy-turvy with its fragile contents pressed against the lid.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Literal orientation normally non-gradable; figurative disorder more topsy-turvy or most topsy-turvy when meaningful. Also an invariable adverb. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character. Commonness: moderately common.