exasperate

[ verb ig-zas-puh-reyt; adjective ig-zas-per-it ]

/ verb ɪgˈzæs pəˌreɪt; adjective ɪgˈzæs pər ɪt /

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verb (used with object), ex·as·per·at·ed, ex·as·per·at·ing.

to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely: He was exasperated by the senseless delays.

Archaic. to increase the intensity or violence of (disease, pain, feelings, etc.).

adjective

Botany. rough; covered with hard, projecting points, as a leaf.

Nearby words

exaptation, exarate, exarch, exarchate, exarticulation, exasperate, exasperation, exbi-, exc., excalation, excalibur

Origin of exasperate

1525–35; < Latin exasperātus (past participle of exasperāre to make rough, provoke), equivalent to ex- ex-¹ + asper harsh, rough + -ātus -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR exasperate

1 incense, anger, vex, inflame, infuriate.

2 exacerbate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR exasperate ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ex·as·per·at·ed·ly, adverbex·as·per·at·er, nounex·as·per·at·ing·ly, adverbun·ex·as·per·at·ed, adjective

un·ex·as·per·at·ing, adjective

Can be confused

exacerbate exasperate

Synonym study

1. See irritate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for exasperate

He was gone upon this pretended mission some little time; quite long enough further to exasperate the privateer Captain.
Strange Stories of Colonial Days|Various
It is true that during the first year there were many things to exasperate the troops.
The War in South Africa|Arthur Conan Doyle
At length his continued ill success began to exasperate him.
McTeague|Frank Norris
France is certain to conquer the Continent, and our interference will only 'exasperate and accelerate.'
Hours in a Library|Leslie Stephen

He took care to exasperate them to the utmost, by representing all their misfortunes.
The History of Virginia, in Four Parts|Robert Beverley

British Dictionary definitions for exasperate

exasperate

/ (ɪɡˈzɑːspəˌreɪt) /

verb (tr)

to cause great irritation or anger to; infuriate

to cause (an unpleasant feeling, condition, etc) to worsen; aggravate

adjective

botany having a rough prickly surface because of the presence of hard projecting points

Derived Forms

exasperatedly, adverbexasperater, nounexasperating, adjectiveexasperatingly, adverb

exasperation, noun

Word Origin for exasperate

C16: from Latin exasperāre to make rough, from asper rough

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012