exasperate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
exasperates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
exasperated,
past participle, past
-
exasperating
present participle
adjective
verb
-
to cause great irritation or anger to; infuriate
-
to cause (an unpleasant feeling, condition, etc) to worsen; aggravate
adjective
Synonym Usage
See irritate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
exasperaternoun
-
exasperationnoun
-
exasperatingadjective
-
unexasperatingadjective
-
exasperatedlyadverb
-
exasperatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
exasperatesimple
-
exasperatessimple
-
have exasperatedperfect
-
has exasperatedperfect
-
am exasperatingprogressive
-
are exasperatingprogressive
-
is exasperatingprogressive
-
have been exasperatingperfect progressive
-
has been exasperatingperfect progressive
Past
-
exasperatedsimple
-
had exasperatedperfect
-
was exasperatingprogressive
-
were exasperatingprogressive
-
had been exasperatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of exasperate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin exasperātus (past participle of exasperāre “to make rough, provoke”), equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + asper “harsh, rough” + -ātus -ate 1
Compare meaning
How does exasperate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
To exasperate someone is to annoy him or her to the point of impatience, frustration and irritation, like when you exasperate a busy waiter by asking questions like "what are all the ingredients in the salad dressing?" and making him repeat the specials five times. The verb exasperate comes from the Latin word exasperatus, which means “to roughen,” “irritate,” or “provoke.” To exasperate is to make something that is already bad even worse, like when sitting in traffic that is sure to make you late, you exasperate the person who is driving by bringing up an unpleasant topic, or the addition of twenty more students that exasperates the crowding in the cafeteria.
Vocabulary lists containing exasperate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Held in a stifling courtroom during the peak of summer, the proceedings involved day after day of contentious confrontation as the couple sought to exasperate Li Mien, the presiding judge, at every opportunity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Panjabi portrays Reena’s mother, Suman, a reserved but resolute woman and member of the Jehovah’s Witness faith who runs a home with rules that exasperate her eldest child.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2024
The issues exasperate many of the remaining businesses.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 23, 2024
However, quite how the hosts did not manage to win will mystify and exasperate the new man at the helm.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2022
He kicked, pounded, twisted, pushed, using his lack of size to confound and exasperate Elisha, whose damp fists, joined at the small of John’s back, soon slipped.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
What further exasperates the residents of the complex is that there is a GP surgery less than 100m from their building.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2024
Some draw comparisons with China’s relationship with North Korea, whose leadership exasperates Beijing at times with erratic behavior but nonetheless benefits from Chinese economic aid and diplomatic support.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 27, 2023
Earlier in April, Hahn sparred with another frequent speaker who often uses profanity, Armando Herman, who regularly exasperates the supervisors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2019
Emotions run high in Venice, the Italian island city that fascinates visitors even as it exasperates the dwindling band of local inhabitants.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 22, 2017
She exasperates him, as she does everyone who roots for her success, but he loves her mind and courage.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Reporters in the room could not hear the exchange, but the BBC saw exasperated facial expressions and gestures from Clancy's lawyer.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
As new waves of feminists confronted different issues, some became exasperated by Steinem’s seemingly perennial role as the face of the women’s movement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
At the same time, he’s exasperated by the endless debates on how to award them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Citing unnamed US officials, NBC News reported earlier this week that Trump erupted in anger during a recent White House meeting and was "exasperated" by his limited available options to end the war.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Jude, stop trying to annoy Oriana,” he says, giving me an exasperated look I am not sure he’s ever given me before, but has turned it on Vivi plenty.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Dealing with a call center or an automated teller might have been exasperating.
From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026
The play-calling could be as exasperating in victory as well as defeat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026
The first shot of director Lynne Ramsay’s stubborn and exasperating postpartum nightmare “Die My Love” would be a great opener for a horror movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2025
Just east of Bali, Lombok boasts the same azure beaches and stunning views as its famous neighbour, but without the exasperating crowds.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2025
Yossarian answered in a collapsing voice, weary suddenly of shouting so much, of the whole frustrating, exasperating, ridiculous situation.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
