troubling

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

Synonyms of troubling

• disturbing
• unsettling
• frightening

Examples of troubling in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

But a wave of troubling reports and lawsuits alleging that AI companion apps have contributed to self-harm and suicide among teens has sparked safety concerns about AI’s impact on young people. —Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025

Ongoing weakness in market breadth and market internals are also troubling, and have historically pointed to a poor intermediate-term outlook, Mirza said. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2025

The replies Monday from policymakers, academics, business owners and community organizers laid out how economic headwinds facing Black women may indicate a troubling shift for the economy at large. —Matt Brown, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025

But on Monday, the team dished out some troubling news. —Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for troubling

• bubbling
• doubling
• redoubling