troubling

adjective

trou·​bling ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce troubling (audio)
Synonyms of troublingnext
: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And for at least a decade, economists have documented a widening and deeply troubling divergence between those two things. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026 The troubling implication, several former attorneys at the division told me, was that the president’s preferences were more important than federal law in guiding their work. Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026 This rhetoric shapes popular understandings of Islam in troubling ways. Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026 The practical outcome is troubling. A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for troubling

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of troubling was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troubling. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.

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