as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
the most troubling sign of all is that he's stopped returning my phone calls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety
don't trouble about me—I'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weighing
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
I hate to trouble you, but would you mind moving for a minute so I can sweep under your chair?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 troubling
Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
The report reveals troubling disparities for Black women in maternity care.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 16 Apr. 2025
Research must zero in on the causes of some of the most troubling impairments that can come with autism, such as self-injury, aggressive behavior and even catatonia, as noted by the Autism Science Foundation.
—Mark Kendall, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025
In particular, their defensive regression from eighth to 21st this season indicated a more troubling theme.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Adjective
Among the recent deluge of analyst reports and media coverage, troubling themes are emerging about Microsoft’s artificial intelligence spending and Azure cloud growth.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
The report reveals troubling disparities for Black women in maternity care.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 16 Apr. 2025
Research must zero in on the causes of some of the most troubling impairments that can come with autism, such as self-injury, aggressive behavior and even catatonia, as noted by the Autism Science Foundation.
—Mark Kendall, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025
In particular, their defensive regression from eighth to 21st this season indicated a more troubling theme.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troubling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troubling
Adjective
-
Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
-
In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
-
Conclusion While the Fed’s efforts to tame runaway inflation rates has helped market sentiments in the past, its recent hawkish outlook for 2025 is now worrying investors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Truly pocket sized and weighing just 165g, FiiO says this is the ideal travel companion thanks to 12 hours of battery life and a two-hour fast-charge mode.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
-
Recreationally, Schnell drives vehicles weighing more than 12,000 pounds for stadiums packed with fans.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The voice of Pope Francis has been such a voice—gentle, disarming, and at times, unsettling.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
-
These experiments busted the urban myth but also pointed to a the truth about how companies like Facebook sometimes serve up such disturbingly accurate advertisements that is much more complex, and unsettling.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
After the frightening threat, the man suddenly ran off in an unknown direction.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Serena Joy Waterford is among the most frightening, dead-hearted women ever written for the small screen.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Representative Mike Lawler of New York, who has hinted at ambitions for a governor bid in 2026, according to the New York Post, will need to walk a fine line between appeasing his party and not upsetting potential voters in his home state, which could put him at odds with Republicans.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
-
These weeds require control to prevent upsetting the entire turf ecosystem.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Troubling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troubling. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share