troubling

adjective

trou·​bling ˈtrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce troubling (audio)
: 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

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
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Less than six years later, the county health agency reported troubling outcomes from oral health screenings at area schools. Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025 Jokes about the decline in reading literacy among Americans abound, but a recent study confirms this troubling trend. Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2025 The Empathy Gap Despite the emotional weight of layoffs, a troubling empathy gap exists between leadership and employees. Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 On Tuesday, five separate developments underscored the persistence of this troubling trend. Gabe Whisnant joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for troubling

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of troubling was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troubling. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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