trouble

noun trou·ble \ ˈtrə-bəl \

Definition of trouble

1 :the quality or state of being troubled especially mentally

2 :public unrest or disturbance

there's trouble brewing downtown

3 :an instance of trouble

used to disguise her frustrations and despair by making light of her troubles
—Current Biography

4 :a state or condition of distress, annoyance, or difficulty

in trouble with the law

heading for trouble

got into financial trouble

: such as

a :a condition of physical distress or ill health :ailment

back trouble

heart trouble

b :a condition of mechanical malfunction

engine trouble

c :a condition of doing something badly or only with great difficulty

has trouble reading

has trouble breathing

d :pregnancy out of wedlock

got a girl in trouble

5 :an effort made :pains

took the trouble to do it right

6 a :a cause of distress, annoyance, or inconvenience

don't mean to be any trouble

what's the trouble?

b :a negative feature :drawback

the trouble with you is you're too honest

the main trouble with electronic systems is the overreliance on them
—John Perham

c :the unhappy or sad fact

the trouble is, I need the money

See trouble defined for English-language learners

Examples of trouble in a Sentence

The new system is giving me trouble.
He was having trouble with his homework.
I had a little trouble finding the place.
He had no trouble finding a new job.
gangs looking to make trouble
When the new CEO arrived, the company was in trouble.
She got into trouble with her credit cards.
He's always getting in trouble at school.
She has been having trouble with her knee.

Recent Examples of trouble from the Web

Get the ground game going An anemic running game was at the root of UC's troubles last year in a 4-8 season.

— tom groeschen, Cincinnati.com, "UC vs. Austin Peay: Scouting report and prediction," 30 Aug. 2017
Critics argue that video images of the rally show that Mr. Harris and Mr. Long were there to make trouble.

— frances robles, New York Times, "Charlottesville Beating Suspect Is Arrested in Georgia," 29 Aug. 2017
The later start in Manchester is due to school construction, part of an $84 million district improvement plan approved well before the current troubles.

— jesse leavenworth, courant.com, "Connecticut Budget Impasse Looms Over First Day Of School," 27 Aug. 2017
Concussions also can cause students to have trouble concentrating, so Benjamin advises teachers give students extra time to complete homework assignments or projects.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Big spike in District 203 concussion numbers tied to parental reporting," 26 Aug. 2017
Also concerning to the U.S. is causing additional trouble for the already suffering Venezuelan people.

— patricia mazzei and franco ordoñez, miamiherald, "U.S. imposes first economic sanctions against Venezuela," 25 Aug. 2017
But the president is in a worse-than-usual mood these days, given his feuds with America’s C.E.O.s, his falling-out with Mitch McConnell, and his legal troubles at the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller.

— bess levin, The Hive, "The Odds of a Government Shutdown Next Month Are Skyrocketing," 24 Aug. 2017
In the books, a character named Quentyn Martell (who has some Targaryen ancestry) tried to follow Daenerys’s lead and take control of one of her other dragons, Viserion, but got torched by the third dragon, Rhaegal, for his trouble.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Did Game of Thrones Just Blow a Hole In Its Popular Dragon-Rider Theory?," 21 Aug. 2017
Our Pippi Lockstocking-ed rebel named April tries to round up her estranged family in the city after her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, but oven troubles and her lack of cooking know-how threaten to derail the day.

— lori keong, Marie Claire, "8 Non-Corny Thanksgiving Movies to Cue Up This Year," 17 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trouble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of trouble

13th century

trouble Synonyms

Synonyms

affection, ail, ailment, bug, complaint, complication, condition, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, ill, illness, infirmity, malady, sickness, disease

Antonyms

health, wellness

Related Words

contagion, contagious disease; contagium, infection; attack, bout, fit, spell; debility, decrepitude, feebleness, frailness, lameness, sickliness, unhealthiness, unsoundness, unwellness, weakness; malaise, matter, pip; epidemic, pest, pestilence, plague

Near Antonyms

fitness, healthiness, heartiness, robustness, soundness, wholeness, wholesomeness; fettle, shape

trouble

verb

Definition of trouble

troubled; troubling play \ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 a :to agitate mentally or spiritually :worry, disturb

b :to put to exertion or inconvenience

I'm sorry to trouble you

c (1) :to produce physical disorder in :afflict

troubled by a cold

(2) archaic :mistreat, oppress

2 :to put into confused motion

the wind troubled the sea

intransitive verb

1 :to become mentally agitated :worry

refused to trouble over trifles

2 :to make an effort :be at pains

did not trouble to come

—

troubler

play \-b(ə-)lər\ noun

See trouble defined for English-language learners

See trouble defined for kids

Examples of trouble in a Sentence

The accusations troubled him deeply.
I'm troubled by his strange behavior.
I don't mean to trouble you, but I have a question.

Recent Examples of trouble from the Web

Troubled with political divisions, and sometimes deadly infighting among pro-government warlords, Ghani's government has faced debilitating street protests from citizens angry about terrorist attacks and insecurity.

— Alaska Dispatch News, "Shifting grounds in Afghanistan make victory elusive," 23 Aug. 2017
Vernon is talking to Carl and his words trouble me.

— rich cohen, Vanities, "Why Generation X Might Be Our Last, Best Hope," 17 Aug. 2017
Vernon is talking to Carl and his words trouble me.

— rich cohen, Vanities, "Why Generation X Might Be Our Last, Best Hope," 17 Aug. 2017
The Centralized Placement Unit has been troubled for years.

— ellen garrison and anita chabria, sacbee, "Sacramento County foster care agency must close illegal shelter, state says," 15 Aug. 2017
Vernon is talking to Carl and his words trouble me.

— rich cohen, vanityfair.com, "Why Generation X Might Be Our Last, Best Hope," 11 Aug. 2017
In Elgin, Kaptain said he was troubled by the undertones of the immigration proposal.

— sarah freishtat, Aurora Beacon-News, "Fox Valley leaders outline pros, cons of Trump-endorsed immigration bill," 4 Aug. 2017
What’s unclear, though, is whether Microsoft’s new position represents a fundamental shift in policy, or a rather narrow focus on Intel’s troubled Atom processors.

— mark hachman, PCWorld, "Confirmed: Windows 10 may cut off devices with older CPUs," 20 July 2017
Even with the troubling early overruns engine cost targets are going down with each successive contract, DellaVedova said.

— tony capaccio, chicagotribune.com, "Pratt & Whitney faulted as biggest F-35 engine deal's cost rises," 18 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of trouble

Middle English, from Anglo-French trubler, from Vulgar Latin *turbulare, from *turbulus agitated, alteration of Latin turbulentus — more at turbulent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

trouble Synonyms

Synonyms

bother, fear, fret, fuss, stew, stress, sweat, worry

Antonyms

accommodate, favor, oblige

Related Words

agonize; long, pine, yearn; chafe; despair

Near Antonyms

accept; abide, bear, endure, stick out, stomach, sustain, take, tolerate

TROUBLE Defined for English Language Learners

trouble

verb

Definition of trouble for English Language Learners

: to make (someone) feel worried or upset
: to disturb or bother (someone)
: to cause (someone) to feel pain

trouble

noun

Definition of trouble for English Language Learners

: problems or difficulties
: a situation that is difficult or has a lot of problems
: a situation that occurs if you do something wrong or break a rule and which will make someone angry or cause you to be punished

TROUBLE Defined for Kids

trouble

noun trou·ble \ ˈtrə-bəl \

Definition of trouble for Students

1 :something that causes worry or distress :misfortune

I've suffered many troubles.

2 :an instance of distress or disturbance

Don't make trouble.

3 :extra work or effort

They took the trouble to write.

4 :ill health :ailment

“Your trouble comes from years of wearing the wrong kind of shoes,” Jake lectured.
—Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game

5 :failure to work normally

He had trouble with the engine.

trouble

verb

Definition of trouble for Students

troubled; troubling

1 :to become or make worried or upset

… reading this book will make you feel anxious, because you will be troubled by the disturbing suspense …
—Lemony Snicket, The Ersatz Elevator

2 :to produce physical disorder in :afflict

He's troubled with weak knees.

3 :to put to inconvenience

Don't trouble yourself; I can do it.

4 :to make an effort

Do not trouble to write.

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trouble

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troubler

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TROUBLE Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of trouble for English Language Learners

TROUBLE Defined for Kids

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