troubling
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
Angus Johnston
troublingly
adverb
Examples of troubling in a Sentence
the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls
Recent Examples on the Web
What made the disaster especially troubling was what emerged afterward.
—Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
The number of students grappling with unstable housing has jumped in recent years, a continuation of a decadeslong trend, and a troubling sign that a deepening housing crisis is hurting the country’s youngest and most vulnerable people.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Dec. 2025
But what a tough job, and the work is likely to get harder in 2026 as more controversial questions (school closings, for example) come to the fore and as money issues become more troubling.
—Alan J. Borsuk, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
More troubling, Marvel, once Hollywood’s biggest hitmaker, struggled to regain its mojo.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
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Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
The number of students grappling with unstable housing has jumped in recent years, a continuation of a decadeslong trend, and a troubling sign that a deepening housing crisis is hurting the country’s youngest and most vulnerable people.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Dec. 2025
But what a tough job, and the work is likely to get harder in 2026 as more controversial questions (school closings, for example) come to the fore and as money issues become more troubling.
—Alan J. Borsuk, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
More troubling, Marvel, once Hollywood’s biggest hitmaker, struggled to regain its mojo.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Cite this Entry
“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troubling. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.
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