More people get into trouble for things they say rather than for what they do.
Source: tatoeba (2359)
Trouble
/ˈtɹʌb.əl/
Synonyms for "trouble" (493 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (99)
Noun(13 words)
abuse a privilegeadoadverse circumstancesadversityaffectafflictafflictionaggravateaggravationagitateagitationagonizeagonyailailmentalarmall oversall-oversangstanguish
Show 55 more words
annoyannoyanceanxietyanxiety hysteriaanxiety neurosisanxious benchanxious concernanxious seatanxiousnessapprehensionapprehensivenessawkwardnessbad newsbe concernedbe the matterbeatbeat upbedevilmentbesetbesetmentbindbitter cupbitter draftbitter draughtbitter pillblightborebotherbotherationbothersomenessbrawlbroilbrouhahabugbummerburdenburden of careburdeningburthenbustlecalamitycan of wormscankerworm of carecarecargochargechargingchurnchurn upclumsinesscommotioncomplaintcomplicate mattersconcernconcernment
Strong matches (148)
convulsecornercrashing borecrosscrown of thornscumbrancecursedeadweightdefectdemanddestroydevilmentdifficultiesdifficultydilemmadisabilitydisaccommodatedisadvantagedisarrangedisaster
Show 99 more words
discombobulatediscomfitdiscomfortdiscommodediscommoditydiscomposedisconcertdiscorddiscountenancediscouragediseasedisobligedisorderdispleasedisputedisquietdisquietudedissatisfactiondistractdistressdisturbdisturbancedoggingdonnybrookdonnybrook fairdownerdownfalldragdrawbackdreaddustupdutcheffortelbow greaseelectrifyembarrassmentembroilembroilmentencroachencroach uponencumberencumbranceendeavorenergyevilexactionexasperateexasperationexciteexerciseexertionfearfermentfightfightingflurryflusterflutterfoofarawforceforebodingforebodingnessfracasfrazzlefree-for-allfreightfreightingfretfussgallgall and wormwoodgive concerngnawgreat adogriefgrievancegrievehamperhandicapharassharassmenthard knockshard lifehard lothard pullhardcasehardshipharmharryharryinghasslehatehauntheadachehecklerhectorhelter skelterhelter-skelterhitch
Noun(17 words)
Verb(11 words)
Determiner(1 words)
few problems
Related words (246)
holehot waterhoundinghubbubillnessimpedimentimpedimentaimposeimpose onimpose uponimposing an onusimpositionin a messin a picklein a predicamentin a scrapein troubleincommodeincommodityinconsiderateness
Show 193 more words
inconvenienceinconveniencyinconvenientnessinflictinflictioninquietudeinterfereintrudeirkirritateirritationjarjoltlaying onloadload with careloadingloading downlong pulllumbermake free withmalaisemattermeleemessmight and mainmischiefmiserymisgivingmolestmolestationmusclenagneednerve and sinewnervous strainnervous tensionnervousnessnettlenudniknuisanceobtrude uponobtrusivenesson the spotonusoppressoppressionoutbreakoveranxietyoversteppackpack of troublespaddlepainpain in the neckpainspeck of troublespell mellpell-mellpenaltyperplexpersecutepersecutionperturbperturbateperturbationpestpesterpins and needlesplagueplightpotherpredicamentpressurepresume onpresume uponpresumptuousnessproblemprovokepsychpuckerput aboutput output to inconvenienceput to itput to troublepuzzleracketrampagerattlerebellionreverserevoltrigorrileriotripplerockroilrough-and-tumbleroughenroughhouserowrowelruckusructionrufflerumplerumpusscramblescrapesea of troublesshakeshake upshattershindyshocksicknessskirmishsolicitudesoresorrowspookstaggerstaticstewstirstir upstrainstraitstressstress of lifestrifesufferingsuspenseswirltake a libertytake libertiestake painstasktaskingtaxingtensionthankthornthrowthrow into confusionto doto-dotormenttormentertrialtribulationtroublestroublesomenesstrytumultturbulenceturmoiluncertaintyundoinguneasinessunhandinessunpleasantnessunquietnessunrestunsettleunwarranted demandunwieldinessuprisinguproarupsetvale of tearsvexvexationvexatiousnessvicissitudevisitwaters of bitternessweigh downweightweightingwhilewhipwhip upwhiskwhite elephantwoeworkwork upworrimentworryzeal
Verb(11 words)
incommodeinconvenienceinconvenience oneselfinconveniencedpainperturbput outtrouble oneselfunhingeupsetworried
Noun(21 words)
inconvenienceinconveniencesinconveniencinginfractionissuemessesmischiefmisconductniggleold norse illrperturbproblemssetbackstraitsstrivetravailtsorisupsetsviolationwife
Show 1 more word
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: bother, difficulty, problem, worry, abuse a privilege.
- Sentence evidence is available for trouble, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "trouble".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "trouble"
Keep "trouble" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "trouble" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "trouble", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "trouble" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
39 entriesaction verbaffectanxietybear onbear uponcausative verbdifficultnessdifficultydisruptiondisturbdisturbanceeffortelbow greaseexertiongestationhappening
Showing 16 of 39 words.
More specific
23 entriesShowing 16 of 23 words.
Collocations
10 entriescause troublefinancial troubleget into troublein troublemajor troubleserious troubletrouble withtroublemakertroubleshootertroublous times
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesTranslations
32 translations across 15 languages.
Azerbaijani
1 entries- zəhmət noun (effort)
Bulgarian
2 entries- зор noun (effort)
- уси́лие noun (effort)
Catalan
1 entries- molèstia noun (effort)
Finnish
2 entries- vaiva noun (effort)
- vaivannäkö noun (effort)
German
3 entries- Anstrengung noun (effort)
- Bemühung noun (effort)
- Mühe noun (effort)
Hungarian
4 entries- fáradalom noun (effort)
- fáradozás noun (effort)
- fáradság noun (effort)
- utánajárás noun (effort)
Italian
3 entries- fastidio noun (effort)
- impedimento noun (effort)
- problema noun (effort)
Japanese
2 entries- 厄介 noun (effort)
- 骨折り noun (effort)
Latin
2 entries- molimen noun (effort)
- opera noun (effort)
Persian
1 entries- زحمت noun (effort)
Polish
1 entries- trud noun (effort)
Russian
4 entries- забо́ты noun (effort)
- труд noun (effort)
- уси́лие noun (effort)
- хло́поты noun (effort)
Spanish
3 entries- costo noun (effort)
- inconveniente noun (effort)
- molestia noun (effort)
Tajik
1 entries- заҳмат noun (effort)
Turkish
2 entries- efor noun (effort)
- gayret noun (effort)
Sample sentences
40 total sentences available.
You needn't have gone to the trouble.
Source: tatoeba (16011)
You're always anticipating trouble.
Source: tatoeba (16768)
Your father went through all that trouble for your sake.
Source: tatoeba (16920)
Showing 4 of 40 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "trouble"?
Closest matches include bother, difficulty, problem, worry, abuse a privilege.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "trouble"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.