troubled

UK: /ˈtrʌb^əld/ US: /ˈtrʌbəld/

From the verb trouble: (⇒ conjugate)

troubled is: ⓘ

v past

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

trou•bled /ˈtrʌbəld/   adj. 

1. disturbed;
   upset;
   worried:
   a troubled look.
2. difficult because of conflicts:
   troubled times.
3. (of water or waters) disturbed and churned up.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

trou•ble /ˈtrʌbəl/   v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v. 

1. to disturb the calm and contentment of;
   worry;
   distress:
   [~ + object] The sufferings of the poor troubled him.
2. to put to inconvenience, pains, or the like: [~ + object + for + object]
   May I trouble you for a match?
   [~ + object + to + verb]
   May I trouble you to shut the door?
3. Pathology to cause pain or discomfort to;
   afflict:
   [~ + object] to be troubled by arthritis.
4. to refuse to do something inconvenient;
   to bother to do:
   [no object* ~ + to + verb] He didn't even trouble to read the homework.

n. 

5. difficulty or annoyance:
   [uncountable] loves to make trouble for me.
6. an unfortunate occurrence;
   misfortune:
   [uncountable] He's in a bit of financial trouble at the moment.
   [countable] He's had some financial troubles lately.
7. civil disorder or conflict:
   [uncountable] a time of trouble.
   [countable] during the troubles in South Africa.
8. Pathology a physical disease, etc.:
   [uncountable] heart trouble.
9. mental or emotional distress;
   worry:
   [uncountable] a life full of trouble.
   [plural]
   He's got troubles on his mind.
10. effort, exertion, or inconvenience in accomplishing some deed, etc.:
    [countable* singular] I don't want you to go to any trouble over this.
11. something objectionable about something;
    fault:
    [countable* singular] What's the trouble with the proposal?
12. a mechanical defect or breakdown:
    [uncountable] We had trouble with the washing machine.
    [countable] We've had troubles with the washing machine.

Idioms

13. Idioms in trouble:
    • pregnant out of wedlock (used as a euphemism).
    • in danger or difficulty:
      He was in big trouble with the mob.

trou•ble•some, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

trou•ble  (trub′əl), v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.t. 

1. to disturb the mental calm and contentment of;
   worry;
   distress;
   agitate.
2. to put to inconvenience, exertion, pains, or the like:
   May I trouble you to shut the door?
3. Pathology to cause bodily pain, discomfort, or disorder to;
   afflict:
   to be troubled by arthritis.
4. to annoy, vex, or bother:
   Don't trouble her with petty complaints now.
5. to disturb, agitate, or stir up so as to make turbid, as water or wine:
   A heavy gale troubled the ocean waters.

v.i. 

6. to put oneself to inconvenience, extra effort, or the like.
7. to be distressed or agitated mentally;
   worry:
   She always troubled over her son's solitariness.

n. 

8. difficulty, annoyance, or harassment:
   It would be no trouble at all to advise you.
9. unfortunate or distressing position, circumstance, or occurrence;
   misfortune:
   Financial trouble may threaten security.
10. civil disorder, disturbance, or conflict:
    political trouble in the new republic; labor troubles.
11. Pathology a physical disorder, disease, ailment, etc.;
    ill health:
    heart trouble; stomach trouble.
12. mental or emotional disturbance or distress;
    worry:
    Trouble and woe were her lot in life.
13. an instance of this:
    some secret trouble weighing on his mind; a mother who shares all her children's troubles.
14. effort, exertion, or pains in doing something;
    inconvenience endured in accomplishing some action, deed, etc.:
    The results were worth the trouble it took.
15. an objectionable feature;
    problem;
    drawback:
    The trouble with your proposal is that it would be too costly to implement.
16. something or someone that is a cause or source of disturbance, distress, annoyance, etc.
17. a personal habit or trait that is a disadvantage or a cause of mental distress:
    His greatest trouble is oversensitivity.
18. Government the Troubles:
    • the violence and civil war in Ireland, 1920–22.
    • the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, beginning in 1969.
19. in trouble, [Informal.] pregnant out of wedlock (used as a euphemism).

• Middle French, derivative of troubler
• Vulgar Latin *turbulare, derivative of *turbulus turbid, back formation from Latin turbulentus turbulent; (noun, nominal) Middle English
• Old French troubler
• (verb, verbal) Middle English troublen 1175–1225

trou′bled•ly, adv. 
trou′bled•ness, n. 
trou′bler, n. 
trou′bling•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. concern, upset, confuse.
• 4. pester, plague, fret, torment, hector, harass, badger.
• 12. concern, grief, agitation, care, suffering.
• 14. See care. 
• 15. trial, tribulation, affliction, misfortune.

Antonyms

• 1. mollify; delight.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

trouble / ˈtrʌb^əl/ noun

1. a state or condition of mental distress or anxiety
2. a state or condition of disorder or unrest: industrial trouble
3. a condition of disease, pain, or malfunctioning: she has liver trouble
4. a cause of distress, disturbance, or pain; problem
5. effort or exertion taken to do something
6. liability to suffer punishment or misfortune (esp in the phrase be in trouble): he's in trouble with the police
7. a personal quality that is regarded as a weakness, handicap, or cause of annoyance: his trouble is that he's too soft
8. the Troubles ⇒ (plural) political violence in Ireland during the 1920s or in Northern Ireland between the late 1960s and the late 1990s
9. the condition of an unmarried woman who becomes pregnant (esp in the phrase in trouble)

verb

1. (transitive) to cause trouble to; upset, pain, or worry
2. (intransitive) usually with a negative and followed by about: to put oneself to inconvenience; be concerned: don't trouble about me
3. (intr; usually with a negative) to take pains; exert oneself: please don't trouble to write everything down
4. (transitive) to cause inconvenience or discomfort to: does this noise trouble you?
5. (tr; usually passive) to agitate or make rough: the seas were troubled
6. (transitive) to interfere with: she wouldn't like anyone to trouble her new bicycle

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French troubler, from Vulgar Latin turbulāre (unattested), from Late Latin turbidāre, from turbidus confused, from turba commotion

ˈtroubler noun