troubleshooting

American

[truhb-uhl-shoot-ing] / ˈtrʌb əlˌʃut ɪŋ /

noun

the act or process of discovering and resolving problems, disputes, or mechanical or technical issues.

The first step in cellphone troubleshooting is simple: restart your device.
The customer support position involves troubleshooting, researching solutions, and providing resolutions to consumer problems.

adjective

of or relating to the process of discovering and resolving problems, disputes, or mechanical or technical issues.

If you’ve already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, please make sure to mention them.

Etymology

Origin of troubleshooting

First recorded in 1915–20; troubleshoot ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; troubleshoot ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Agentic-AI systems will act on behalf of users — negotiating, troubleshooting and completing transactions directly with other systems.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

"From selecting materials and 3D printing, to troubleshooting electronics and satisfying requirements, working collaboratively with Yuji and Xinyu has been extremely rewarding," Mr. Kogios said.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

Travelers are still hunting behind furniture for outlets and troubleshooting “smart” TVs that won’t stream.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Its help center includes detailed articles on setup, troubleshooting and router installation.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2025

Back when JPL's Nerd Brigade hacked the rover and Pathfinder to be a poor man's IM client, they sent me a cheat sheet for troubleshooting.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023