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?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of troubling
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Two more followed before Nike put a pause on its relationship with the artist because of troubling workplace allegations levied against him, and the original colorway got a restock last year after their ties were resumed.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 18 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
But these days, her most troubling clinical dilemma is completely different.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Two more followed before Nike put a pause on its relationship with the artist because of troubling workplace allegations levied against him, and the original colorway got a restock last year after their ties were resumed.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 18 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
-
Nell Tiger Free stars as a young novice who works at a Catholic orphanage plagued by mysterious, disturbing circumstances.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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In an initial statement Wednesday, Blalock said the video is disturbing and the parents and families of these students should be embarrassed.—
Allie Hennard,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of worrying about ratings, the new late-night creators are directly beholden to their viewers.—
Joy Press,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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But Joe Garcia, a Democratic former congressman from Miami, said that stance could backfire as Cuban Americans begin worrying about their relatives on the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
17 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
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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
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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 27 Feb. 2026.
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