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
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
That may sound harmless on the surface, but the reality is far more troubling.
—Verdaillia Turner, AJC.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Robert Lea, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Adjective
The agency noted a troubling paradox in recent policy shifts.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
That may sound harmless on the surface, but the reality is far more troubling.
—Verdaillia Turner, AJC.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Scientists may have solved a cosmic mystery that has been troubling them since the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) began observations back in 2022.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troubling
Adjective
-
The stumblebum energy disarms us, which makes the gruesome cruelty of the kills that much more disturbing.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
On Wednesday, Givens described the allegations accusing her of allowing a staff member to impersonate her during a court hearing as disturbing.—
Jane Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And as for worrying about too much screen time, Woods has zero concerns.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The real media merger worth worrying about involves the control of local TV stations.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cities across North Texas are taking different directions on their future with Dallas Area Rapid Transit, with some backing away to leave the transit system, one still weighing its options and others moving forward with elections that could reshape regional transportation.—
Perry Majidi,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Lawmakers are weighing whether Connecticut should require signage warning of the dangers of energy drinks for children and teens.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The series centers on a couple whose lives are upended after welcoming a seemingly ideal caregiver into their home, only to find boundaries blurred and control slipping as the arrangement spirals into a tense, unsettling power struggle.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
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Eighty or more minutes later at the end of the Agnus Dei, when the great plea for peace reaches its ultimate transcendence, up becomes, in one of the most profoundly unsettling moments in all music, down again.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In a heartfelt Instagram video, Lindsey Vonn shared how her doctor saved her leg from amputation after the frightening crash at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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While Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic comeback ended with a frightening crash in Cortina d’Ampezzo, overall, Team USA broke its winter gold medal record, set on home soil at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the students liked being able to listen to the material repeatedly without inconveniencing a human reader.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Jan. 2026
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No one forced them to expand to the West Coast, inconveniencing coaches, players and fans of 14 other schools.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubling. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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