The excerpt below is from a newspaper article about the recent events in our city:

“The citizens of our city are frustrated and upset with the recent disruption to their lives.”

In this excerpt, the word with the most negative connotation is “frustrated”. Frustration implies a feeling of being blocked or thwarted in achieving a goal, which can cause a person to feel powerless, angry, and overwhelmed.

The word “upset” also has a negative connotation, but to a lesser degree. It implies being troubled or disquieted, and is usually used to describe feelings of distress, sadness, or anxiety.

Both of these words are used to convey a sense of unhappiness with the current situation, but “frustrated” carries a slightly stronger sense of negative emotions and a lack of progress.

It is important to be aware of the connotations of words used in writing, as they can shape how readers interpret the underlying message. Although both words in this excerpt have negative connotations, the use of “frustrated” highlights the negative feelings of the citizens more effectively.