as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety
don't trouble about me—I'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weighing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of troubling
Ian Chaffee, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Parents of Elk Grove High School football players received a letter from school administrators about troubling behavior in the school locker room.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Yet most fans do not care unduly about what a squad costs and while sound financial management is welcomed, the strength of the team is the thing that is troubling them right now.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Adjective
The recent rash of CEOs Gone Wild is arguably even stupider than commonplace fraud, and a troubling sign that there continues to be a slippery slope of accountability for C-Suite leadership.
—Ian Chaffee, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Parents of Elk Grove High School football players received a letter from school administrators about troubling behavior in the school locker room.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
China is poised to win great swathes of the booming European EV market and that is troubling the automakers.
—Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Yet most fans do not care unduly about what a squad costs and while sound financial management is welcomed, the strength of the team is the thing that is troubling them right now.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troubling
Adjective
-
That's depicted in a disturbing, if somewhat inscrutable, scene.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Possibly, something disturbing will occur because someone has decided to make emotional demands on you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Patients often wait until the doctor is standing up to leave before blurting out their real concern, which is typically a sensitive or time-consuming problem, such as wanting to start birth control, having painful periods, or worrying about pregnancy or STDs.—
Dr. Jill Grimes,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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Losing or leaving a job is already stressful enough without worrying about when your last paycheck will show up.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The typical basking shark that local whale watches see are about 20 to 25 feet long, weighing several tons.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
When weighing your options, keep in mind key decision-making factors, such as how the event could directly benefit you, the overall cost and the potential return on investment.—
John Hall,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In turn, chickens have become a powerful — if not somewhat unsettling — example of how acutely humans can dictate the evolutionary destiny of other species.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Having previously allowed Alessia Russo, Ona Batlle and Mary Earps to run their contracts into the final stages — a situation the club say was unsettling for the squad — United were determined not to make the same error.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lead with Gratitude and Grace Calling out someone for bothering you is always tricky.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
-
That appeared to be a distraction at times to Anisimova, who motioned to her team in the stands that something was bothering her during ball tosses for serves.—
Howard Fendrich,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Interestingly, Lorraine has taught Judy to ward off her frightening visions by using a nursery rhyme, effectively teaching her to suppress her dark side.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
That's really frightening because people can be really cruel and that's dangerous.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Need someone to absorb your wife’s anger over that extramarital affair without inconveniencing your mistress?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After upsetting the Texas Longhorns in their first game, the Buckeyes backed that up with a 70-0 victory over Grambling State in Week 2.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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The changes in college football are already upsetting that dynamic.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubling. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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