troubleshooting

American  

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

noun

1. 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.

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adjective

1. 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

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The staff at units handling return processing, customer service and troubleshooting are almost 20% smaller, according to a Treasury Department watchdog report last fall.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

Reliable and responsive customer support can also make a significant difference when troubleshooting issues.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025

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

From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 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