exasperate
verb (used with object)
to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely.
have been exasperating
-
present perfect progressiveof exasperate.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Dealing with a call center or an automated teller might have been exasperating.
From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026
It would have been exasperating if it wasn’t so hot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2021
“That’s just what I meant to do,” returned Matt, 16 with a coolness that would have been exasperating to even a less sensitive man than the crusty auctioneer.
From Young Auctioneers The Polishing of a Rolling Stone by Edward Stratemeyer
You’re a nice chump, getting in a scrape like this!” he added, with a laugh which must have been exasperating to the unseen boy.
From Boy Scouts in the Northwest Fighting Forest Fires by G. Harvey (George Harvey) Ralphson
It must have been exasperating for those solid persons subsequently to acknowledge—if they did so—that this unbalanced agitator weighed them very well.
From The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 1 by Henry Baerlein
