TROUBLOUS Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

troublous

adjective

ˈtrə-b(ə-)ləs

Definition of troublous

as in disturbing

causing worry or anxiety a troublous teen whose antisocial antics had us all on edge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 troublous Then there were the ghoulish figures of revolutionary adventurers, the Mexican painter with two pistols in his belt, the men who were carving themselves careers out of these troublous times. — John Dos Passos, National Review, 28 Sep. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for troublous

Adjective

There, Musk’s disturbing lack of empathy would glory in slashing jobs and spending, including on the vital USAID.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
That part is too real, too disturbing, and Barrett’s hollow script avoids tackling the subject head on.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

The tiny farming settlement of Poilley, in Brittany, would become her home for the next eight years, and the subject of more than 50,000 intimate, often unsettling photographs.

— Felix Bazalgette, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
And an overture from an ABC exec (Jessica Hecht) to Andie to jump ship represents another kind of unsettling grooming.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsettling

Adjective

This sensitivity to voids is revealed in the opening montage, consisting of empty rooms in university buildings, their vacant stillness a troubling indication of absence.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 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

Definition of troubling

Adjective

Given their performances and results — a vivid draw at home to Liverpool and an excellent victory away to Tottenham — this felt more like a quirk than a troublesome theme.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Now a second Times report notes that concern over the choice of honoree has only become more troublesome since that first article was published a month ago.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of troublesome

Adjective

Those tempers were not helped by the nasty collision between Guehi and Veiga just before the break, as the Englishman clattered into the midfielder in attempt to head the ball away.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
His nasty spirit comes unstuck from the grave when Antonia, the brown-haired Millennial witch, works a wonky raise-the-dead spell directed at her late great aunt.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of nasty

Browse Nearby Words

troubling

troublous

trough

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Troublous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troublous. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of troublous

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

empirical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes