frustration

American  

[fruh-strey-shuhn] / frʌˈstreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. act of frustrating; state of being frustrated: frustrated.

   the frustration of the president's efforts.

2. an instance of being frustrated: frustrated.

   to experience a series of frustrations before completing a project.

3. something that frustrates, as an unresolved problem.

4. a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems.

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frustration British  

/ frʌˈstreɪʃən /

noun

1. the condition of being frustrated

2. something that frustrates

3. psychol

   1. the prevention or hindering of a potentially satisfying activity

   2. the emotional reaction to such prevention that may involve aggression

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Other Word Forms

• nonfrustration noun
• overfrustration noun

Etymology

Origin of frustration

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English frustracioun, from Latin frustrātiōn-, stem of frustrātiō “deception, disappointment”; equivalent to frustrate + -ion

Example Sentences

He worked at it through months of frustration, but one evening, while his wife enjoyed a bridge game with friends, he drove back over to the Labs and tried a different approach.

From The Wall Street Journal

The spat is emerging as a source of frustration in Congo, which already holds a historic grudge with its old colonial ruler.

From The Wall Street Journal

One practical frustration has eased, however, with smartphones and connected devices now updating automatically, the seasonal time change is harder to miss —even if the debate around it remains unresolved.

From BBC

“You don’t have to be happy all the time, but it’s important to channel that frustration into something useful. Think about what makes you angry, and use what you care about to change herstory.”

From Los Angeles Times

A beatnik radio host caught the Mets bug and praised baseball as a “kind of amalgam of all the human frustrations.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annoyance
• dissatisfaction
• failure
• grievance
• irritation
• resentment