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

troublingly adverb

Synonyms of troubling

• disturbing
• unsettling
• frightening

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

The country’s labor market didn’t come to a standstill, as was the case in other countries in the region such as the United Arab Emirates where the vast majority of workers are migrants who tried to leave, but for Rozen, something new and troubling was laid bare. —Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026

More troubling, however, was the setting of the study. —Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026

Since New York’s humane pet shop law went into effect, three stores with troubling histories have moved to Connecticut. —Annie Hornish, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026

Their meteoric rise in just the last year is deeply troubling, and state Attorney General Nick Brown is right to have filed a recent lawsuit to stop Kalshi, one of the largest markets, from operating in Washington state. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for troubling

• bubbling
• doubling
• redoubling