frustration

American  

[fruh-stray-shuhn] / frʌˈstreɪ ʃən /

noun

• frustrations
  plural

1. act of frustrating; state of being frustrated.

   the frustration of the president's efforts.

2. an instance of being frustrated.

   to experience a series of frustrations before completing a project.

3. something that frustrates, as an unresolved problem.

4. a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems.

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frustration British  

/ frʌˈstreɪʃən /

noun

1. the condition of being frustrated

2. something that frustrates

3. psychol

   1. the prevention or hindering of a potentially satisfying activity

   2. the emotional reaction to such prevention that may involve aggression

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonfrustration
  noun
• overfrustration
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• frustrations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of frustration

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English frustracioun, from Latin frustrātiōn-, stem of frustrātiō “deception, disappointment”; equivalent to frustrate + -ion

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Explanation

Frustration is a feeling of annoyance that occurs when something doesn't go as you expect. There are few things more likely to cause frustration for an impatient driver than rush hour traffic. When you can't get what you want, or you're stuck in some way, you'll experience frustration. A spelling bee competitor who almost wins will feel frustration. The thing that causes you to feel this way can also be called a frustration — like your moody sister, the frustration of your home life. Frustration comes from the Latin frustrationem, "a deception or a disappointment."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

frustration frustrations

Holmes remarks that she hadn’t thought about it until now, and the tension lifts as her frustration dissipates.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

“I understand people’s frustration, but they’re leaving it to the audience to sort out who’s making sense,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

His comments go much further than the gentle diplomatic pressure Malaysia's government has so far applied, but they reflect a simmering frustration with Indonesia's inability to control the fires.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

There had been rumblings of frustration in criminal justice circles over policing, for which Mamdani has largely retained the status quo in New York.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

After a few months of frustration, Compass made a desperate move.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

But his frustrations are shared by his teachers, including Fatoumata Danso, 30, who has taught economic and social sciences at the Eugene Henaff high school for five years.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

But answering local queries and frustrations is getting trickier as resistance picks up, with government officials and residents expressing worries about everything from electricity prices to water waste.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

“All of these frustrations that people have had for a while exploded.”

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

It is more often a sign of irritation and petulance, with frustrations taken out on the ball with little care for the safety of officials, ball kids and the spectators who line the court.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Multiply these daily frustrations by a few billion, and you begin to see that the curse of knowledge is a pervasive drag on the strivings of humanity, on a par with corruption, disease, and entropy.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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Related Words

• annoyance
• dissatisfaction
• failure
• grievance
• irritation
• resentment

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