troubledtroub‧led /ˈtrʌbəld/ ●○○ adjective 
Benson looked troubled when he heard the news.► see thesaurus at worried2having many problems: These are troubled times for the coal industry. the troubled electronics companytroubled marriage/relationship3troubled waters a difficult situation, especially where there is a lot of disagreement and problems: We don’t want to enter the troubled waters of race and religion.pour oil on troubled waters (=try to make an angry situation calmer)
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Greg had a troubled childhood.
- She had a troubled look on her face.
- But the demand for scapegoats in the economically troubled countries is considerable and extends even to the dead.
- But the meditators maintain they have scientific proof that it does work and they can bring peace to a troubled world.
- It was the final ignominy in the short, troubled history of the club that nearly made it to the First Division.
- Its troubled inhabitants turned to Puritanism.
- Oliver and Rain exchanged troubled glances.
- Super-SARA has had a long and troubled gestation period.
- The Church was born in troubled times.
THESAURUS
not feeling happy or relaxed because you keep thinking about a problem or something bad that might happen: · I was worried that you had forgotten our date.· It’s awful if you are worried about money.· I was so worried that I couldn’t sleep at all.
worried because you think something bad might happen or has happened. Anxious is more formal than worried, and is often used about a general feeling of worry, when you are not sure what has happened: · A lot of employees are anxious about their jobs.· Anxious relatives waited for news.
worried or frightened about something you are going to do or experience, and unable to relax: · Everyone feels nervous before an exam.· The thought of going into hospital was making me nervous.
a little worried because you feel there may be something wrong and you are not sure what is going to happen: · When she still wasn’t home by midnight, I began to feel uneasy.· The total silence was making me feel uneasy.
formal worried, usually about a problem affecting someone else or affecting the country or the world: · Many people are concerned about the current economic situation.· Police say that they are concerned for the safety of the missing girl.
[not before noun] worried by something that happens – often used in negative sentences: · She didn’t seem particularly bothered by the news.
very worried, so that you think about something a lot: · She fell into a troubled sleep.· a troubled expression· ‘Are you okay, Ben? You look troubled.’
especially written a little worried about something you are going to do, or about the future, because you are not sure what it will be like: · I felt a bit apprehensive about seeing him again after so long.
informal very worried and tired because of problems, too much work etc, and unable to relax or enjoy life: · He’d been working ten hours a day for ages and was stressed out.· an extremely stressed single mother
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Benson looked troubled when he heard the news. These are troubled times for the coal industry.
Benson looked troubled when he heard the news. These are troubled times for the coal industry. (=try to make an angry situation calmer)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=the knowledge that you have done something wrong)· His guilty conscience kept him awake at night.
· She stood looking at me with an anxious expression.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· They became less willing to transfer capital to the most troubled borrowers by the conventional means of foreign direct investment.
NOUN· I could see Xanthe's troubled face clearly, and also Filmer's beside her.· And as she spoke, I looked into the troubled face of our Prime Minister and her eyes were filled with tears.· And then he too made a troubled face.· Looking into her troubled face, Benjamin placed his hand gently on her arm.
· Good luck to first-time house buyers, particularly during these troubled times.· All she needed to do now was put her troubled times behind her and win the game.· The Church was born in troubled times.· I hope that we have a reasonable record on piloting Britain's foreign affairs through troubled times.· The 1870s and 1880s were troubled times for Whessoe, as the company was now known.· Mutual support in troubled times then, is seen as a reciprocal reward for cooperation over the long term.· Five years later came the Dinsdale Moor Iron Works, but these were troubled times for heavy industry.
· The Oxford oar presented as a momento, will help bail him out of any troubled waters he's yet to encounter.· After just half an hour in the pool, it was back to the troubled waters of the Foreign Office.· This particular fish was very shortly going to find itself in exceedingly troubled waters.· We don't need to enter the troubled waters of religious truth-claims.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► pour oil on troubled waters
- After just half an hour in the pool, it was back to the troubled waters of the Foreign Office.
- The Oxford oar presented as a momento, will help bail him out of any troubled waters he's yet to encounter.
- This particular fish was very shortly going to find itself in exceedingly troubled waters.
- We don't need to enter the troubled waters of religious truth-claims.
- A fish that comes from slow-moving often murky waters is unlikely to appreciate bright lighting or turbulent filtration.
- A last desperate attempt to escape into the murky waters.
- And instead of heading off into uncharted waters, Shyamalan has positively invited comparisons with his previous opus.
- But then our conversations took a dive into the murky waters of sexuality and jealousy.
- Clearly the 49ers are sailing in uncharted waters.
- I would be chary of anything caught in these murky waters.
- Other career seekers are more interested in venturing into uncharted waters.
- This is useful if you fly by night or live in murky waters.
WORD FAMILYadjectivetroubledtroublesometroublingnountroubleverbtrouble
1worried or anxioustroubled face/eyes/look Benson looked troubled when he heard the news.► see thesaurus at worried2having many problems: These are troubled times for the coal industry. the troubled electronics companytroubled marriage/relationship3troubled waters a difficult situation, especially where there is a lot of disagreement and problems: We don’t want to enter the troubled waters of race and religion.pour oil on troubled waters (=try to make an angry situation calmer)