troublesome
adjective
trou·ble·some
ˈtrə-bəl-səm 
1
: difficult, burdensome
a troublesome neighbor
troublesomely
adverb
troublesomeness
noun
Examples of troublesome in a Sentence
the troublesome news that there will be more cuts in the school budget
Recent Examples on the Web
That if you were deemed, as an enslaved person, if you were deemed troublesome or in some way unwanted, you would literally be sold down the river from the more northern states to the deeper south where you would potentially be treated even worse.
—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
But finding the finances for the project, at least within the athletic department, had proven troublesome.
—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
One of the troublesome sounds for writers was /w/.
—
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
Above-ground tree roots can be just as troublesome and require special attention.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for troublesome
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.
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
But finding the finances for the project, at least within the athletic department, had proven troublesome.
—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
One of the troublesome sounds for writers was /w/.
—
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
Above-ground tree roots can be just as troublesome and require special attention.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for troublesome
Cite this Entry
“Troublesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troublesome. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
troublesome
adjective
trou·ble·some
ˈtrəb-əl-səm
1
: requiring or involving continued or tiring effort, attention, or study : difficult, burdensome
a troublesome task
2
: giving trouble or anxiety
troublesome news
troublesomely
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
