troubling

1 of 2

adjective

trou·​bling ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ 

: causing feelings of worry or anxiety

a troubling news report

It's not just trauma survivors who may be distracted or derailed by shocking or troubling material …

—Angus Johnston

troublingly adverb

troubling

2 of 2

present participle of trouble entry 2

Synonyms of troubling

Adjective

• disturbing
• unsettling
• frightening

Examples of troubling in a Sentence

Adjective

the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

One particularly troubling example comes from the Justice Department's case against Epsilon Data Management. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026

From a troubling police restraint death in Elk Grove to a new food literacy TV show, Sacramento made plenty of headlines recently. — Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026

More troubling to her was what would happen to the people who depend on the fair for work. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

While a tan might look nice, the reality behind why your skin gets darker is more troubling. — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for troubling

• bubbling
• doubling
• redoubling