troubling

1 of 2

adjective

trou·​bling ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ 

: causing feelings of worry or anxiety

a troubling news report

It's not just trauma survivors who may be distracted or derailed by shocking or troubling material …

—Angus Johnston

troublingly adverb

troubling

2 of 2

present participle of trouble entry 2

Synonyms of troubling

Adjective

• disturbing
• unsettling
• frightening

Examples of troubling in a Sentence

Adjective

the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Either way, Xi will have to pick a relative unknown — all the current members of the Politburo Standing Committee are too old to step into his shoes — raising a host of troubling questions. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026

For Irvin, one of the most troubling aspects of the shooting is that an altercation between children allegedly prompted an adult to resort to gun violence. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Apart from the child abuse charge, the couple were allegedly involved in other troubling incidents. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

MacIntyre, a sophomore, took over for usual starter Faizon Brandon last week as Brandon dealt with a troubling shoulder injury and then made the start against the Razorbacks (2-4, 0-3). — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for troubling

• bubbling
• doubling
• redoubling