trouble

[ truhb-uhl ]

/ ˈtrʌb əl /

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See synonyms for: trouble / troubled / troubles / troubling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), trou·bled, trou·bling.

to disturb the mental calm and contentment of; worry; distress; agitate.

to put to inconvenience, exertion, pains, or the like: May I trouble you to shut the door?

to cause bodily pain, discomfort, or disorder to; afflict: to be troubled by arthritis.

to annoy, vex, or bother: Don't trouble her with petty complaints now.

to disturb, agitate, or stir up so as to make turbid, as water or wine: A heavy gale troubled the ocean waters.

verb (used without object), trou·bled, trou·bling.

to put oneself to inconvenience, extra effort, or the like.

to be distressed or agitated mentally; worry: She always troubled over her son's solitariness.

noun

difficulty, annoyance, or harassment: It would be no trouble at all to advise you.

unfortunate or distressing position, circumstance, or occurrence; misfortune: Financial trouble may threaten security.

civil disorder, disturbance, or conflict:political trouble in the new republic; labor troubles.

a physical disorder, disease, ailment, etc.; ill health: heart trouble; stomach trouble.

mental or emotional disturbance or distress; worry: Trouble and woe were her lot in life.

an instance of this: some secret trouble weighing on his mind; a mother who shares all her children's troubles.

effort, exertion, or pains in doing something; inconvenience endured in accomplishing some action, deed, etc.: The results were worth the trouble it took.

an objectionable feature; problem; drawback: The trouble with your proposal is that it would be too costly to implement.

something or someone that is a cause or source of disturbance, distress, annoyance, etc.

a personal habit or trait that is a disadvantage or a cause of mental distress: His greatest trouble is oversensitivity.

the Troubles,

the violence and civil war in Ireland, 1920–22.
the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, beginning in 1969.

OTHER WORDS FOR trouble

1 concern, upset, confuse.

4 pester, plague, fret, torment, hector, harass, badger.

12 concern, grief, agitation, care, suffering.

15 trial, tribulation, affliction, misfortune.

See synonyms for trouble on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR trouble

1 mollify; delight.

See antonyms for trouble on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about trouble

in trouble, Informal. pregnant out of wedlock (used as a euphemism).

Origin of trouble

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English troublen<Old French troubler<Vulgar Latin *turbulare, derivative of *turbulus turbid, back formation from Latin turbulentusturbulent; (noun) Middle English <Middle French, derivative of troubler

synonym study for trouble

14. See care.

OTHER WORDS FROM trouble

trou·bled·ly, adverbtrou·bled·ness, nountroubler, nountrou·bling·ly, adverb

non·trou·bling, adjectiveo·ver·trou·ble, verb, o·ver·trou·bled, o·ver·trou·bling.self-troubled, adjectiveself-troubling, adjectiveun·trou·bled, adjective

Words nearby trouble

trotty, trotyl, troubadour, troubadours, Troubetzkoy, trouble, troubled waters, troublemaker, trouble man, trouble one's head with, troubleproof

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use trouble in a sentence

Given that, the charger has no trouble charging smartphones, tablets, or USB-C devices like the Nintendo Switch as quickly as possible, either.
Grab a recommended 90W charger for your phone, Switch, and laptop for $43|Ars Staff|September 11, 2020|Ars Technica
Research has shown that kids who spend a lot of time on screens are more likely to have eye problems, weight problems and trouble with reading and language.
Healthy screen time is one challenge of distance learning|Kathryn Hulick|September 11, 2020|Science News For Students
Using digital technology could help them not just give money away faster and more efficiently, it could also help them understand the state of the economy and adjust support measures to target the critical trouble spots.
Smart stimulus: Cash as code|Claire Beatty|September 9, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Buy nowThe trouble with video workouts is that if you miss a beat, you fall behind.
The Most Futuristic Workout Gear of 2020|Hayden Carpenter|September 5, 2020|Outside Online

The Cupertino, California-based company’s system status screens were also slow to indicate any trouble.
Apple’s App Store draws scrutiny in yet another country|Verne Kopytoff|September 3, 2020|Fortune
Freedom of speech, then, is sometimes not worth the trouble that comes with it.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The people who are involved in the violence, they figure out ways to remain here at all costs and continue causing trouble.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Lion Air captain had left his rookie copilot to make the landing until he realized he was in trouble.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
For years, Brooke even had trouble finding a publisher for his memoir, which was ultimately accepted by Rutgers University Press.
Ed Brooke: The Senate's Civil Rights Pioneer and Prophet of a Post-Racial America|John Avlon|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
We are 80 percent Putin supporters today and tomorrow Khodorkovsky or Navalny might come to power and I will be in trouble.
Russia’s Rebel In Chief Escapes House Arrest|Anna Nemtsova|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With the management of these, however, the Earl of Pit Town did not trouble himself.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
But you are English, or you are American; and men of those countries never misunderstand a woman, even if she is in trouble.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Tobacco requires a great deal of skill and trouble in the right management of it.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
Liszt sometimes strikes wrong notes when he plays, but it does not trouble him in the least.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for trouble

trouble

/ (ˈtrʌbəl) /

noun

a state or condition of mental distress or anxiety

a state or condition of disorder or unrestindustrial trouble

a condition of disease, pain, or malfunctioningshe has liver trouble

a cause of distress, disturbance, or pain; problemwhat is the trouble?

effort or exertion taken to do somethinghe took a lot of trouble over this design

liability to suffer punishment or misfortune (esp in the phrase be in trouble)he's in trouble with the police

a personal quality that is regarded as a weakness, handicap, or cause of annoyancehis trouble is that he's too soft

(plural)

political unrest or public disturbances
the Troubles political violence in Ireland during the 1920s or in Northern Ireland between the late 1960s and the late 1990s

the condition of an unmarried girl who becomes pregnant (esp in the phrase in trouble)

verb

(tr) to cause trouble to; upset, pain, or worry

(intr usually with a negative and foll by about) to put oneself to inconvenience; be concerneddon't trouble about me

(intr; usually with a negative) to take pains; exert oneselfplease don't trouble to write everything down

(tr) to cause inconvenience or discomfort todoes this noise trouble you?

(tr; usually passive) to agitate or make roughthe seas were troubled

(tr) Caribbean to interfere withhe wouldn't like anyone to trouble his new bicycle

Derived forms of trouble

troubled, adjectivetroubler, noun

Word Origin for trouble

C13: from Old French troubler, from Vulgar Latin turbulāre (unattested), from Late Latin turbidāre, from turbidus confused, from turba commotion

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with trouble

trouble

In addition to the idioms beginning with trouble

trouble one's head with
trouble someone for

also see:

borrow trouble
fish in troubled waters
go to the trouble
in trouble with
pour oil on troubled waters

trouble

OTHER WORDS FOR trouble

OPPOSITES FOR trouble

Idioms about trouble

Origin of trouble

synonym study for trouble

OTHER WORDS FROM trouble

Words nearby trouble

Words related to trouble

How to use trouble in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trouble

Derived forms of trouble

Word Origin for trouble

Other Idioms and Phrases with trouble