exasperation
Americannoun
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an act or instance of exasperating; provocation.
-
the state of being exasperated; irritation; extreme annoyance.
Her exasperation at being interrupted was understandable.
Etymology
Origin of exasperation
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin exasperātiōn-, stem of exasperātiō “roughness, bitterness”; equivalent to exasperate + -ion
Explanation
If you've ever become so frustrated with someone or something that you feel like you're at the end of your rope, you have experienced exasperation. You are fed up! Exasperation goes back to the Latin verb exasperare, meaning “to make rough.” When you are in a state of exasperation, you feel like something annoying you've had to put up with has put you in a rough mood. If you take up golf, you might find it to be a source of relaxation or a source of exasperation. Watching you try to teach your dog to fetch, I'm not sure which is more amusing: his stubbornness or your exasperation.
Vocabulary lists containing exasperation
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
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A Raisin in the Sun
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“You won’t miss the statue,” the clerk said, the slightest tang of exasperation in his tone.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
Cuban linking Kidd to the trade caused the episode to bubble up again recently, much to the exasperation of the coach.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Now she gets the same question at every PTA meeting and presentation—and she understands the exasperation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
There's disappointment, anger and exasperation within the party.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
To the continuing exasperation of his fellow scientists, he often alluded in published work to the results of contingent experiments that he had not told anyone about.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
