frustrate

American  

[fruhs-treyt] / ˈfrʌs treɪt /

verb (used with object)

frustrated, frustrating

1. to make (plans, efforts, etc.) worthless or of no avail; defeat; nullify.

   The student's indifference frustrated the teacher's efforts to help him.

   Synonyms:

   circumvent, foil, balk

2. to disappoint or thwart (a person).

   a talented woman whom life had frustrated.

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verb (used without object)

frustrated, frustrating

1. to become frustrated.

   His trouble is that he frustrates much too easily.

adjective

1. Obsolete. frustrated.

frustrate British  

/ frʌˈstreɪt /

verb

1. to hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; thwart

2. to upset, agitate, or tire

   her constant complaints began to frustrate him

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adjective

1. archaic frustrated or thwarted; baffled

Related Words

See thwart.

Other Word Forms

• frustrater noun
• frustratingly adverb
• frustrative adjective
• refrustrate verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of frustrate

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin frustrātus, past participle of frustrārī, verbal derivative of frustrā “in vain”

Explanation

When you frustrate someone, you do your best to annoy, confuse, or even torment that poor person. Maybe you constantly change your mind — that's sure to frustrate anyone who tries to make plans with you. If you have ever been frustrated while writing, you may have dropped your pen — or pushed away your keyboard — and stared angrily out the window, thinking, "How will I ever do this?" Well, that pent-up doubting that has made you stop is a sure sign you are frustrated. Plans, too, can be frustrated, like the snow that frustrates our efforts to run our errands.

Example Sentences

Sauer couldn’t give a straight answer, which seemed to frustrate the justice.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

She also saw her players start to let calls and miscommunications frustrate them: “I didn’t think our next-play speed was as good as it has been, and it affects you,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

DeFi promises anonymity, cheap conversion into stablecoins, and ownership structures opaque enough to frustrate enforcement.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

“This isn’t what we expected in any way, and it seems to frustrate our expectations. I can’t see most people supporting this,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

It was a mission that would motivate and frustrate her all her life.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• baffle
• confront
• depress
• discourage
• dishearten
• hinder