Synonyms of trouble

trouble 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrə-bəl 

1

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning

hoping that the doctor will be able to accurately diagnose my trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disease
• ailment
• illness
• ill
• condition
• disorder
• fever
• sickness
• bug
• attack
• infection
• complication
• malady
• ail
• complaint
• plague
• infirmity
• distemper
• affection
• distemperature
• contagious disease
• contagion
• bout
• unsoundness
• spell
• weakness
• lameness
• feebleness
• malaise
• matter
• fit
• debility
• epidemic
• pestilence
• unhealthiness
• decrepitude
• sickliness
• contagium
• pip
• pest
• unwellness
• frailness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• health
• wellness
• soundness
• fitness
• robustness
• shape
• wholeness
• wholesomeness
• healthiness
• heartiness
• fettle

2

as in threat

something that may cause injury or harm

that wild dog is trouble, so stay away

Synonyms & Similar Words

• threat
• danger
• risk
• menace
• peril
• hazard
• pitfall
• imminence
• snare
• trap
• booby trap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protection
• guard
• ward
• shield
• refuge
• shelter
• harbor
• retreat
• safeguard
• haven
• asylum

3

as in problem

something that requires thought and skill for resolution

the police officers first broke up the fight and then asked what the trouble was

Synonyms & Similar Words

• problem
• challenge
• matter
• issue
• case
• question
• predicament
• nut
• dilemma
• knot
• hot water
• quandary
• pickle
• quagmire
• jam
• fix
• corner
• mystery
• crux
• conundrum
• puzzle
• glitch
• mire
• pitfall
• riddle
• snag
• hitch
• spot
• Gordian knot
• catch
• enigma
• puzzlement
• sticky wicket
• hole
• toughie
• catch-22
• poser
• stumper
• brainteaser

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• solution
• answer
• silver bullet
• magic bullet
• panacea
• cure-all

4

as in effort

the active use of energy in producing a result

please, don't go to all that trouble just for me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• effort
• work
• pains
• sweat
• exertion
• expenditure
• energy
• while
• labor
• elbow grease
• try
• toil
• power
• strain
• drudgery
• might
• attempt
• muscle
• endeavor
• dint
• travail
• go
• grind
• slog
• trial
• pass
• stab
• essay
• force
• whack
• shot
• fling
• puissance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ease
• facility
• smoothness
• fluency
• inertia
• inaction
• laziness
• inactivity
• indolence
• idleness
• adroitness
• dormancy
• quiescence
• languor

5

as in risk

the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil

if you think your brother might be in trouble, then let's go check up on him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• risk
• danger
• jeopardy
• peril
• distress
• endangerment
• harm's way
• threat
• imperilment
• exposure
• vulnerability
• openness
• susceptibility
• precariousness
• liability
• helplessness
• weakness
• susceptibleness
• defenselessness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• safety
• security
• salvation
• preservation
• protection
• defense
• secureness
• exemption
• safeness
• immunity
• impunity
• inviolability
• invulnerability

trouble

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to worry

to experience concern or anxiety

don't trouble about me—I'll be fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worry
• fear
• stress
• fret
• bother
• fuss
• stew
• sweat
• give a hang
• long
• sweat blood
• despair
• pine
• yearn
• agonize
• chafe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accept
• take
• endure
• bear
• tolerate
• sustain
• abide
• stick out
• stomach

2

as in to bother

to cause discomfort to or trouble for

I hate to trouble you, but would you mind moving for a minute so I can sweep under your chair?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bother
• inconvenience
• weigh
• disturb
• put out
• upset
• discommode
• burden
• disoblige
• anger
• incommode
• annoy
• bug
• hinder
• interfere (with)
• aggravate
• impede
• hamper
• handicap
• saddle
• provoke
• hold back
• vex
• exasperate
• tie up
• irk
• obstruct
• encumber
• inhibit
• get
• hobble
• hamstring
• chafe
• hold up
• shackle
• rile
• pique
• fetter
• grate
• gall
• inflame
• agitate
• peeve
• perturb
• trammel
• manacle
• nettle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• assist
• aid
• favor
• accommodate
• oblige
• facilitate
• ease
• smooth
• please
• delight
• satisfy
• appease
• abet
• comfort
• disarm
• gratify
• content
• placate
• pacify
• conciliate
• mollify
• console
• gladden

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of trouble

Noun

For Pawlikowski, though, the troubles that put his professional life on hold were more private, and immeasurably sadder. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

There’s trouble brewing at Van Nuys High, where the baseball coach has been removed for building an unauthorized batting cage during the summer. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Verb

But Sam has been troubled by the strange overlap between Reeger’s career and their fathers and has found some seemingly damning evidence that suggests Reeger isn’t telling the whole story. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026

Asked whether players were troubled about how difficult winning the Stanley Cup would be in a 36-team league, Hainsey downplayed the idea. — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026