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troubled 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtrə-bəld How to pronounce troubled (audio)
Definition of troublednext
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty we could tell by the troubled looks on their faces that the news was not promising

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

troubled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of trouble
1
as in feared
to experience concern or anxiety don't trouble about me—I'll be fine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbed
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?

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of troubled
Adjective
The June Aster was bound for the tourist hub of Coron, highlighting the Philippines’ reliance on ferries and a troubled history of deadly sea accidents and lax safety enforcement. — Aaron Favila, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Over the years, Di Novi became known in the industry as someone who not only worked successfully with important directors like Burton and Curtis Hanson, but could help directors on troubled productions. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 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 See All Example Sentences for troubled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troubled
  1. worried
  2. disturbed
  3. anxious
  4. weighed
  5. upset
  6. bothered
  7. nervous
  8. inconvenienced
Adjective
  • Teams — worried about how a politically defiant Black quarterback on the roster would impact their bottom lines — over the next several seasons signed dozens of inferior quarterbacks to round out their depth charts.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Los Angeles’ identity and workers’ livelihoods are at stake, say worried residents who fear that Paramount will leave the state.
    — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Clean Regularly Spiders don’t like to be disturbed, so an unused area of your porch is likely to be attractive real estate.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Yellow jackets are often the most aggressive, especially when scavenging for food or if their ground nests are disturbed.
    — Nick Perry, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • There were maybe a few extra news crews reporting on the show as people filed in and out, but if Sheeran hadn’t brought it up, the crowd did not seem like one particularly anxious about any elephant in the room.
    — Brendan Menapace, Billboard, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Dislodging these forces from the machinery of the state has been neither swift nor straightforward, and even those most anxious for change are hard-pressed to offer practical solutions.
    — Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious
Verb
  • However, officials in recent days have weighed the cost of continuing to look through the price increases, particularly in light of a stabilizing labor market.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Claims about removing bacteria or extending garment life should be weighed carefully against broader evidence showing that overwashing causes wear.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of weighed
Adjective
  • An upset win would not have redefined Miami as anything but a team taking necessary steps up from the foot of a mountain.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • First elected in 2020 in an upset race, Raman is running close to Bass in the Mayoral polls, and has seen an uptick as the campaign has kicked into post-summer high-gear.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of upset
Verb
  • She was treated with such indifference by the Bordens that, with the exception of Abby, no one bothered to learn her name, calling her by the name of their last servant, Maggie, instead.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • What’s bothered me, though, is how its backers have anchored their messaging around a lot of misleading generalizations about the state of college sports.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of bothered
Adjective
  • One grandmother initially didn’t understand what the couple was asking, while two were a little nervous about taking on a role traditionally given to children.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But one area that has Chiefs fans a little nervous is the offensive line that will be tasked with keeping Mahomes upright.
    — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous
Verb
  • The data showed that 37 percent of those polled said a retailer’s omnichannel operations such as on-demand delivery and curbside pickup have inconvenienced them.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Would others—including staff on site—feel surprised or inconvenienced, and make that known to us?
    — Nicole Chung, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of inconvenienced

Browse Nearby Words

trouble
troubled
troublemaker
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Cite this Entry

“Troubled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubled. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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