Basic Details
Word: Troublesome
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Causing trouble, worry or difficulty again and again.
Synonyms: bothersome, annoying, difficult
Antonyms: easy, trouble-free
How to Spell Troublesome
Syllables: trou - ble - some
Tricky part: The ou of trouble sounds like the short u of cup, so it often becomes u. The e at the end of trouble must stay before -some.
Watch out for: trublesome, troublsome, troublesum
Memory tip: Trouble keeps all its letters, then add some: trouble + some. Unlike -ing, the -some ending never makes trouble drop its e.
Usage Examples
Example 1: A troublesome cough kept Neha awake for three nights.
Example 2: The new printer has been troublesome since the day we bought it.
Example 3: Monkeys can be troublesome visitors at hill-station hotels.
Fun Fact
English has a small family of adjectives made with -some, meaning tending to: tiresome, quarrelsome, meddlesome and troublesome.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Choose the letters that complete the word:
tr_ubl_some
a) a, e
b) o, e
c) u, e
d) o, a
Show answer
b) o, e. It is trouble with nothing removed: the ou stays at the front and the e stays before some.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word troublesome as used in the sentence:
The new pupil was troublesome in the first week but soon settled down.
a) obedient
b) unruly
c) naughty
d) difficult
Show answer
a) obedient. Naughty, unruly and difficult all match troublesome; an obedient pupil causes no trouble.
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix -some to make a real word. Choose it:
-some: trouble / anger / sorrow / danger
a) danger
b) sorrow
c) anger
d) trouble
Show answer
d) trouble. Troublesome is in every dictionary; angersome, sorrowsome and dangersome are not English words.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If a problem is troublesome, it ____.
a) solves itself at once
b) never really happened
c) makes everyone laugh
d) keeps causing worry
Show answer
d) keeps causing worry
2. Which word means about the same as troublesome?
a) wholesome
b) handsome
c) awesome
d) bothersome
Show answer
d) bothersome
