troubling

adjective

trou·​bling ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce troubling (audio)
: 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.
That might mean nudging troubling conversations in a different direction or issuing something akin to a warning label. Robert Hart, Time, 5 Aug. 2025 More troubling is that more drug dealers are cutting their fentanyl with other substances, which are resistant to Narcan, like the powerful sedative that authorities suspect was used in the free samples given out by a dealer or dealers in Penn North. Allan Culver, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2025 Attorneys from the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic, which represents Hubbell, also have made troubling allegations of police misconduct, accusing investigators of ignoring incriminating evidence against Overstreet in the Myers investigation, while building a weak case against the wrong man. Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Aug. 2025 In 2015, Syracuse University discontinued its kiss cam feature after a letter to the local newspaper cited a pair of troubling instances at the football team’s game against Wake Forest. Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025 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 20 Aug. 2025.

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