exasperate

[ ig-zas-puh-reyt ]
See synonyms for: exasperateexasperatedexasperating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),ex·as·per·at·ed, ex·as·per·at·ing.
  1. to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely: He was exasperated by the senseless delays.

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

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

Origin of exasperate

1
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 -ate1

synonym study For exasperate

1. See irritate.

Other words for exasperate

Other words from exasperate

  • ex·as·per·at·er, noun
  • ex·as·per·at·ing·ly, adverb
  • un·ex·as·per·at·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with exasperate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use exasperate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for exasperate

exasperate

/ (ɪɡˈzɑːspəˌreɪt) /


verb(tr)
  1. to cause great irritation or anger to; infuriate

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

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

Origin of exasperate

1
C16: from Latin exasperāre to make rough, from asper rough

Derived forms of exasperate

  • exasperatedly, adverb
  • exasperater, noun
  • exasperating, adjective
  • exasperatingly, adverb
  • exasperation, noun

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