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troubling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce troubling (audio)
Definition of troublingnext
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

troubling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trouble
1
as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety don't trouble about me—I'll be fine

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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?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 troubling
Adjective
Meta has long struggled to control the proliferation of troubling content on its platforms. — Jon Christian, Futurism, 9 Sep. 2026 That’s especially troubling since Meta continued running dozens of CSAM ads in the days after the first batch was reported, TTP said. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
My mother’s rheumatism was troubling her, and Betsy stayed home to keep her company. — Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 The touching moment was shared on the TikTok account @rosiethestaffygirl, capturing the instant Rosie—a Staffordshire bull terrier rescue—worked up the nerve to confront something that had clearly been troubling her. — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for troubling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troubling
  1. disturbing
  2. worrying
  3. weighing
  4. unsettling
  5. bothering
  6. frightening
  7. inconveniencing
Adjective
  • More than a month after Perez Hilton appeared in a disturbing livestream appearing to engage in acts of self-harm at this Miami-area home, his family is addressing the rumor mill.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As tensions rise and boundaries begin to blur, their grandmother’s frail presence takes on an increasingly disturbing quality, turning a once-idyllic summer into a haunting passage into adulthood.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • That way, the Wildfire can be used more freely in hazardous areas without worrying about emptying the hangars.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026
  • If traders start worrying the Fed could raise rates by half point hike at any meeting this year, that could hurt stocks.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of worrying
Verb
  • Concrete barriers designed to keep cars out of the secure area crumbled as the jet, weighing more than 100 tons, headed straight for a four-lane road.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • After officials finished weighing and measuring it, Harmon returned the giant blue catfish alive to the Ohio River near where it was caught.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of weighing
Adjective
  • Nelson took 12 years to get the project made, and that labor-of-love aspect shows in the soulfulness and meticulous care the writer-director brings to this unsettling story of violence begetting violence, based on actual events.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Trapped together in the heavy, stifling isolation of the summer heat, the siblings’ bond begins to shift into something unsettling and difficult to define.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • The list of maladies bothering Ohtani is lengthy, and grew this week.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Ohtani reported that the area from his biceps to his neck was bothering him Wednesday night, Roberts said.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bothering
Adjective
  • The subjects bring insightful detail of frightening practices, and the filmmaking helps to underline the thematic commentary of the disconnect between levels of humanity.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Como are playing some slick football under Cesc Fabregas, and while 21-year-old Nico Paz is still the shining star at the heart of every attack, Baturina has also clicked into a frightening gear.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • Chatfield asked the Los Angeles Times in 1997 in response to criticism from community members and some local officials who pegged his nonprofit as inconveniencing residents by helping homeless people.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The government said Khan’s supporters had begun gathering outside the private hospital in violation of the court order, which required them to stay away from the medical facility to avoid inconveniencing other patients.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of inconveniencing

Browse Nearby Words

troublesome
troubling
troublous
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubling. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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