trouble
trouble — noun
1. The difficulties or worries that someone faces in everyday life or when dealing
The difficulties or worries that someone faces in everyday life or when dealing with a particular task or situation.
Jiwoo had trouble finding the right street because the road signs were missing.
have trouble + verb-ing
Samir's old car caused him trouble almost every weekend.
cause + person + trouble
Salma is having trouble with the new computer system at work.
have trouble with + noun
When the power went out, every household in the neighbourhood was in trouble.
in trouble (situation of difficulty)
Élise always asks her brother for help when she has trouble at school.
- have trouble
- trouble with
- cause trouble
- in trouble
- run into trouble
- difficulty
more neutral and slightly more formal; 'trouble' often implies personal inconvenience
- hardship
more severe; refers to sustained suffering rather than everyday problems
- inconvenience
milder; focuses on minor disruption rather than serious difficulty
- ease
a situation without difficulty or effort
- smooth sailing
informal idiom meaning a problem-free experience
Grammar Patterns
have trouble + with + noun
have trouble + verb-ing
in trouble
Usage Note
Frequently used in patterns like 'have trouble + gerund' (have trouble sleeping) and 'have trouble with + noun' (have trouble with technology). The noun is nearly always uncountable when referring to difficulties — 'I have a lot of trouble' not 'many troubles'.
Common Mistakes
2. A difficult situation that someone has entered because they broke a rule, did so
A difficult situation that someone has entered because they broke a rule, did something illegal, or made a serious mistake that someone else will be angry about.
Mateo got into trouble at school for drawing on the classroom walls.
get into trouble for + noun/gerund
Shanti knew she would be in trouble if her mother saw the broken vase.
be in trouble if…
The politician stayed out of trouble by not answering questions after the scandal.
stay out of trouble
Brooke's older brother is always getting into trouble with the law.
Dario warned his younger sister not to get into trouble at the party.
warn + person + not to get into trouble
- get into trouble
- be in trouble
- stay out of trouble
- keep out of trouble
- land in trouble
- hot water
informal idiom meaning the same but more emphatic
- a tight spot
informal; focuses on the difficulty of escaping rather than the wrongdoing
- scrape
informal British; a minor trouble caused by one's own actions
Grammar Patterns
get into trouble
be in trouble
stay out of trouble
get + someone + into trouble
Usage Note
This sense is almost always used in fixed prepositional phrases with 'in' or 'into'. 'Get into trouble' focuses on the action that causes the problem, while 'be in trouble' describes the resulting state. Objects of 'get into trouble' are typically authority figures (parents, teachers, police, the law).
Common Mistakes
3. A particular aspect or quality of a person, plan, or thing that makes it unsatis
A particular aspect or quality of a person, plan, or thing that makes it unsatisfactory or hard to deal with.
The trouble with this apartment is that the heating never works properly.
the trouble with [noun] is that…
One trouble with living in a small town is the lack of job opportunities.
trouble with + gerund
Yael thinks the trouble with the plan is that no one checked the budget first.
The only trouble with Dario's idea is that it takes too much time to set up.
the only trouble is…
- the trouble with
- the only trouble
- one trouble
Grammar Patterns
the trouble with + noun + is + that-clause
the only trouble is + that-clause
Usage Note
Always begins with 'the trouble' or 'one trouble' followed by 'with'. The structure 'the trouble with X is that…' is the most common pattern. Unlike sense 1, this sense is typically singular and used to introduce a criticism.
4. A problem with the way a machine, vehicle, or a part of the body works, causing
A problem with the way a machine, vehicle, or a part of the body works, causing it to stop functioning normally.
Sade took her car to the mechanic because of engine trouble.
engine trouble — vehicle collocation
Élise has been having back trouble since she lifted the heavy box last week.
have + body part + trouble
The old washing machine started giving us trouble again on Monday morning.
give + person + trouble (machine)
Shanti's grandmother has heart trouble and needs to see a specialist every month.
Astrid could not climb the stairs because of her knee trouble.
knee trouble — body part collocation
- engine trouble
- back trouble
- heart trouble
- knee trouble
- mechanical trouble
- give trouble
Grammar Patterns
have + [body part] + trouble
have + [machine] + trouble
give + person + trouble
Usage Note
Body-part trouble (back trouble, heart trouble, knee trouble) is an informal way of referring to a chronic or recurring health problem. For machines, 'engine trouble' and 'mechanical trouble' are the most common combinations. More formal alternatives are 'problem with' or 'condition' for health issues.
5. A situation involving angry arguments, noisy behaviour, or physical violence, of
A situation involving angry arguments, noisy behaviour, or physical violence, often in a public place such as a bar, stadium, or street.
The bar closed early after a group of customers started causing trouble.
cause trouble — public disturbance collocation
Maeve's parents told her to stay away from the boys who were looking for trouble.
look for trouble — intentionally seeking conflict
Police arrived quickly when trouble broke out at the football stadium.
trouble breaks out — sudden start of conflict
The teacher separated two students who were making trouble in the hallway.
- cause trouble
- look for trouble
- make trouble
- trouble breaks out
- start trouble
- conflict
more formal and broader; includes non-physical disagreement
- disturbance
formal; a disruption of public order, often used by police or media
- unrest
more sustained; refers to a series of disturbances, not a single incident
Grammar Patterns
cause trouble
make trouble
look for trouble
trouble breaks out
Usage Note
Common in fixed phrases describing deliberate or predictable conflict. 'Looking for trouble' means actively trying to start a fight, while 'trouble breaks out' describes a sudden eruption of violence without implying who started it. Subjects are often places (bars, stadiums, streets) where crowds gather.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'He was causing trouble at the party' (ambiguous — could mean misbehaviour or fighting). If you mean violence, be more specific or rely on context.
6. A small amount of extra work or inconvenience that someone does or avoids doing,
A small amount of extra work or inconvenience that someone does or avoids doing, often used in polite offers, refusals, or expressions of gratitude.
Thank you for taking the trouble to drive me all the way to the airport.
take the trouble to + verb
It is no trouble at all — I was going to the station anyway.
it is no trouble — polite reply
Samir went to a lot of trouble to prepare a special dinner for his guests.
go to a lot of trouble
Please do not go to any trouble on my account — a simple sandwich is fine.
Yael spared me the trouble of cooking by bringing takeaway food on her way over.
spare + person + the trouble of + gerund
- take the trouble
- go to the trouble
- no trouble
- spare the trouble
- save the trouble
- effort
broader; not limited to polite expressions
- bother
informal; emphasises the inconvenience rather than the work involved
- inconvenience
more formal; focuses on the disruption to one's plans
Grammar Patterns
take the trouble to + verb
go to the trouble of + verb-ing
it is no trouble
spare + person + the trouble
Usage Note
This sense appears almost exclusively in fixed expressions. 'Take the trouble to' emphasises deliberate effort, while 'go to the trouble of' focuses on the extent of preparation. 'It's no trouble' is a standard polite response to thanks. The negative form 'don't go to any trouble' is used to politely decline an offered service.
Common Mistakes
To act in a way that will almost certainly cause problems.
Leaving your bike unlocked in this area is asking for trouble.
Why are you asking for trouble by arguing with the boss?
To make an unmarried woman pregnant.
In the old days, a man who got a girl into trouble had to marry her.
The novel tells the story of a young woman who gets into trouble.
To cause problems or difficulties for someone.
My old car has been giving me trouble all week.
The new software didn't give us any trouble during installation.
look for trouble
idiomTo behave in a way that is likely to cause an argument or fight.
A group of teenagers were hanging around the park looking for trouble.
If you go to that bar alone at night, you're looking for trouble.
To make a careful effort to do something well.
The chef takes great trouble over every dish he serves.
She took a lot of trouble with the decorations for the party.
To do something even though it requires effort or inconvenience.
He took the trouble to write a thank-you note to each guest.
Did anyone take the trouble to check the facts before publishing?
Talking about your problems with someone makes them seem less serious.
Remember, a trouble shared is a trouble halved, so call me anytime.
She told her friend about her worries, believing a trouble shared is a trouble halved.
trouble — verb
1. To make someone feel worried, anxious, or upset about something, often because i
To make someone feel worried, anxious, or upset about something, often because it keeps coming back into their thoughts.
The strange noise from the car troubled Maeve during the long drive home.
trouble + person (cause worry)
It troubles Jiwoo that her parents are always arguing about money.
it troubles + person + that-clause
The thought of the surgery troubled Salma all week before the operation.
What troubles the rescue team most is that no one has heard from the hikers for two days.
what troubles + person + most is + that-clause
Élise was deeply troubled by the news of her childhood friend's sudden illness.
passive: be troubled by + noun
- deeply troubled
- troubled by
- troubled that
- what troubles me
Grammar Patterns
trouble + person
be troubled by + noun
it troubles + person + that-clause
Usage Note
Often passive ('be troubled by') for describing an ongoing worried state. The active form with a that-clause ('it troubles me that…') is common for expressing moral or emotional concern. The subject is typically a situation, thought, or piece of news, not a person.
Common Mistakes
2. To cause someone physical pain, illness, or ongoing difficulty, especially over
To cause someone physical pain, illness, or ongoing difficulty, especially over a period of time.
The rural region has been troubled by severe drought for three consecutive years.
passive: be troubled by + disaster/problem
Brooke was troubled by a persistent cough that would not go away after the flu.
Many older residents in the village are troubled by arthritis in their hands and knees.
be troubled by + specific illness
A series of bad harvests troubled the farming community for much of the decade.
trouble + community (active, ongoing difficulty)
- troubled by illness
- troubled by drought
- troubled by pain
- long troubled by
Grammar Patterns
be troubled by + illness/problem
trouble + body part
Usage Note
More literary and formal than verb sense 1. Most commonly used in the passive voice ('be troubled by'). Typical subjects are illnesses (back trouble, arthritis, cough) or large-scale problems (drought, conflict, poverty). Unlike sense 1, this sense describes actual affliction rather than mental worry, though the boundary can be blurry.
3. To politely ask someone to make a small effort or do something slightly inconven
To politely ask someone to make a small effort or do something slightly inconvenient for you, or to disturb someone when they are busy.
Sorry to trouble you, but could you help me lift this suitcase into the overhead bin?
sorry to trouble you — polite opener
Samir did not want to trouble his neighbours by playing loud music late at night.
Could I trouble you for a glass of water while I wait for my appointment?
trouble + person + for + noun
Shanti never troubles anyone with her personal problems, even when she clearly needs help.
trouble + person + with + noun
Dario did not want to trouble his boss until he had fixed the mistake himself.
- sorry to trouble you
- trouble for
- trouble about
- trouble with
- not trouble
- bother
less formal; the closest everyday synonym
- disturb
stronger; implies breaking someone's focus or rest
- inconvenience
more formal; focuses on the disruption rather than the act of asking
Grammar Patterns
trouble + person + for + noun
trouble + person + to + verb
sorry to trouble you
trouble + person + about + noun
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in polite requests and apologies for interrupting. 'Sorry to trouble you' is a fixed phrase for starting a request with a stranger or someone in authority. 'Could I trouble you for…?' is formal but friendly. Not normally used in the passive ('I was troubled' would sound like sense 1 or 2).
Common Mistakes
Word family
- troubledadjectiveB1
- troublesomeadjectiveB2
- troublingadjectiveB2
- troublemakernounB2
- troubleshooternounC1
- troubleshootverbC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words refer to something that is not going well, but they differ in formality, scope, and typical use. 'Trouble' is the most personal and informal — it often suggests a situation that directly inconveniences or worries someone ('I had trouble starting the car'). 'Problem' is the most general and neutral, covering everything from mathematical puzzles to social crises, and it pairs naturally with 'solve' — a word rarely used with 'trouble'. 'Difficulty' is more formal and suggests obstacles that require skill or effort to overcome, often with an implication of complexity rather than mere annoyance ('the difficulty of the task'). 'Issue' is the vaguest and most euphemistic of the four — frequently used in professional and political contexts to avoid the negative weight of 'problem' ('We are working on the budget issue'). A concrete test: you would solve a problem, overcome a difficulty, address an issue, but you would simply get through or be in trouble.
Common collocations
Nouns
- engine trouble
- heart trouble
- back trouble
- knee trouble
- stomach trouble
Adverbs
- deeply troubled
- seriously troubled
- constantly troubled
Phrases
- in trouble
- into trouble
- out of trouble
- cause trouble
- ask for trouble
- no trouble at all
Prepositions
- trouble with
- trouble about
- trouble in
- trouble for
Etymology
The word 'trouble' entered English through Old French 'trouble' (disturbance, agitation), which came from the Latin verb 'turbare' (to disturb, stir up). That verb, in turn, traces back to the Latin noun 'turba' (a crowd, a disorderly throng). The original image is of water being stirred into confusion — a sense that survives in the related word 'turbid' (muddy, unclear). From the 13th century onward, English used 'trouble' to describe both external disturbances (conflict, unrest) and internal states (worry, distress), a duality that the word still carries today.