# trouble

/ˈtɹəbəɫ/ (US) · /tɹˈʌbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trouble
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. problems or difficulty

noun · CEFR A2

a situation that is difficult, painful, or dangerous.

For teachers: a state of difficulty, distress, or misfortune. Often used uncountably to describe general hardship.

- The company ran into financial trouble after the new product failed to sell.
- The humanitarian agency warned that the region was in deep trouble as the drought entered its third consecutive year.

### 2. conflict with authority

noun · CEFR A2

a situation where you might be punished by the police, a teacher, or a parent.

For teachers: liability to punishment or a state of being in conflict with established authority.

- He got into big trouble for breaking the window with his football.
- The teenager found himself in trouble with the law after being caught spray-painting the side of the library.

### 3. extra effort

noun · CEFR B1

the extra work or energy you use to do something for someone.

For teachers: effort or pains taken beyond what is strictly necessary, often for the benefit of another.

- Thank you for going to the trouble of picking me up from the airport.
- The host went to great trouble to ensure that every guest's dietary requirements were met without making them feel awkward.

### 4. medical problems

noun · CEFR B1

a problem with your health or a part of your body.

For teachers: a physical ailment or malfunction of a specific organ or bodily system.

- My grandfather has been having some heart trouble lately.
- The patient reported persistent back trouble that radiated down his left leg, suggesting a possible nerve issue.

### 5. social unrest

noun · CEFR B2

fighting or violent behavior between groups of people.

For teachers: public disorder, violence, or political unrest within a community or country.

- There was some trouble in the city center after the football match ended.
- The government deployed additional security forces to the border regions following reports of civil trouble and protests.

### 6. to worry someone

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone feel worried, unhappy, or anxious.

For teachers: to cause mental distress, anxiety, or perplexity in another person.

- It troubles me that she hasn't called to say she arrived safely.
- The ethical implications of the new technology continued to trouble the research team long after the project was completed.

### 7. to bother or inconvenience

verb · CEFR B1 · Formal

to ask someone for help or to interrupt what they are doing.

For teachers: to cause inconvenience or to disturb someone, often used in polite requests.

- I'm sorry to trouble you, but could you tell me the time?
- The secretary hesitated to trouble the CEO with such a minor administrative detail during the board meeting.

### 8. to make an effort

verb · CEFR B2

to take the time or energy to do something.

For teachers: to exert oneself or take pains to perform an action; often used in the negative to suggest laziness.

- He didn't even trouble to reply to my invitation.
- Few critics troubled to look beneath the surface of the film's flashy visuals to find its deeper meaning.

## Examples

- I am having some trouble with my car today.
- The manager stepped in to help when the new employee ran into trouble with the complicated software.
- Despite the initial success of the merger, the company faced significant financial trouble due to unforeseen shifts in the global market and rising interest rates.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.