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
Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Equally troubling, this annual cycle consumes so much time and energy that there is almost none left to actually think about how the money is spent.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 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 stock market may be near all-time highs, helped by the Magnificent Seven, but a look under the hood is showing some troubling breadth patterns.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Equally troubling, this annual cycle consumes so much time and energy that there is almost none left to actually think about how the money is spent.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 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
-
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Air quality concerns Smoke continued to linger Wednesday, worrying residents.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Investors previously challenged the company's aggressive spending initiatives, worrying that new tech investments would take time to pay off.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The campaign now moves forward with voters weighing sharply different visions for California’s future as the primary draws closer.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
And other states are weighing similar options.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Tensions mount, especially when Matt reenters the picture, and Max Fabian’s fight choreography creates some unsettling moments.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
And that is not even touching on all the unsettling racial humor that came with having Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchliffe — two comedians who have actually faced backlash for hate speech — on the dais for the roast of a Black entertainer.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Tell him that his approach to the trip is bothering you.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
Try taking 10 to 15 minutes each day to write out what's bothering you.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Such obsession can be a frightening emotion both for the person experiencing it and for the target.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Even more frightening is a judge apologizing to an assassin who risked the lives of 2,000 people while attempting to assassinate the president and his cabinet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Apprehensive about inconveniencing others by appointing Truss at Balmoral—a first in her 70-year reign—the monarch consulted her daughter the Princess Royal.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
-
And the students liked being able to listen to the material repeatedly without inconveniencing a human reader.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubling. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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