frustrate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
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
-
to disappoint or thwart (a person).
a talented woman whom life had frustrated.
verb (used without object)
adjective
verb
-
to hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; thwart
-
to upset, agitate, or tire
her constant complaints began to frustrate him
adjective
Synonym Usage
See thwart.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
frustratesimple
-
frustratessimple
-
have frustratedperfect
-
has frustratedperfect
-
am frustratingprogressive
-
are frustratingprogressive
-
is frustratingprogressive
-
have been frustratingperfect progressive
-
has been frustratingperfect progressive
Past
-
frustratedsimple
-
had frustratedperfect
-
was frustratingprogressive
-
were frustratingprogressive
-
had been frustratingperfect progressive
Future
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.
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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.
See Examples For:
Data-center construction may not have to collapse in a full-blown AI bust to frustrate the plans of companies hoping for a long boom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
If he can frustrate Uruguay the same way, Cape Verde could be through to the round of 32.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
They raise costs, squeeze margins, and frustrate managers.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 6, 2026
VAR continues to be divisive regardless of whether the final decision is correct, and it continues to frustrate the fans.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
A thing we cannot see can exert pressure, can frustrate my wish to fill a vessel with water if I were dumb enough to leave my finger on the neck.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
"As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won't be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet."
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Angelenos don’t mind haters — it’s the type of city that frustrates residents even on its best days.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
The process -- and the sheer size of the state of 40 million people -- means California is always slow to finalize results, a fact that frustrates voters of all stripes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
It is that love for the United States that thoroughly frustrates those around the world who thought our country represented freedom and diversity.
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
She frustrates not only her teachers, but sometimes also her friends.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
When Olympic tickets went on sale in April, fans were shocked and frustrated at high prices, a 24% service fee and limited availability for key events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
As for the drivers, there is no question that Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are frustrated, but the reality is they do not have a lot of options.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Taylor Farms’ response frustrated administration officials, who viewed it as an effort to cast doubt on the broader investigation and obfuscate the company’s role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Jones, a wheelchair user, was frustrated by the lack of Blue Badge parking information when trying to attend London City's away trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Alex lets out a frustrated huff that tells me how useless I am.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
For Simon, her Parkinson’s battle has proved “difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening,” but not a complete obstacle to her life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
While Microsoft has been a frustrating stock recently, there’s general optimism from Wall Street analysts.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
"It's really frustrating knowing there is a treatment available which could save his life."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Which leads to soccer’s most frustrating ritual, flopping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
For us, looking back at these events and trying to understand them, there is a frustrating paradox at work here.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
