adjective
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causing a great deal of trouble; worrying, upsetting, or annoying
-
characterized by violence; turbulent
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of troublesome
Explanation
If something is troublesome, it annoys you or gives you difficulty. Your troublesome old car, for example, might be unreliable and have a history of breaking down at the most inconvenient moments. Use the adjective troublesome to describe things — or people — that are worrisome or inconvenient. A troublesome stomach virus will keep you home from work, and a troublesome teenager is a constant source of anxiety and frustration for his parents. The word troublesome adds the suffix some, "tending to or causing," to trouble, which has a Latin Latin root, turbidare, "make trouble or make turbid." Turbid, by the way, means "muddy or full of confusion."
Vocabulary lists containing troublesome
Similes from Top AP English Exam Novels
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
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Sounder
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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.
The troublesome Queen of the Night dazzles with high notes that shoot out like daggers.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
With no earnings to pore over, investors will be focused on the economic data—and what they have seen recently looks troublesome.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
“Another round of fighting could be even more troublesome, as it could result in stagflation.” he says.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
Their troublesome toilet, which cost $23m to design, had problems with its plumbing.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
“And if you find them troublesome, you must send them home again.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
