frustrating
adjective
frus·trat·ing
ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ 
: causing feelings of anger and annoyance : tending to produce or characterized by frustration
a frustrating delay
a very frustrating experience
Mischel concludes that having the willpower to wait isn't about being stoic. It's about learning techniques that make waiting less frustrating.—
Pamela Druckerman
Pamela Druckerman
frustratingly
adverb
a frustratingly slow process
The book is sprawling and self-indulgent. Most frustratingly, it is almost entirely devoid of serious military analysis.
—Hew Strachan
Hew Strachan
Examples of frustrating in a Sentence
All these delays have been very frustrating.
these daily traffic jams are frustrating
Recent Examples on the Web
Self-service kiosks and mobile-first check-in compress what is often the most frustrating part of travel into a quick, predictable flow.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Herencia de Patrones fans may find that choice frustrating, while viewers hoping for a proper introduction to an unfamiliar musical scene will likewise go away disappointed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Bottom line Although dry, itchy skin is a frustrating problem that can arise when taking cholesterol-lowering medication, using a daily barrier repair cream that can replenish cholesterol in your skin can mitigate these side effects.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
This year’s midterm election already was going to be frustrating for many voters in a vast, rural swath of Northern California whose staunchly conservative district has been redrawn to favor Democrats after the passage of Proposition 50 last fall.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Herencia de Patrones fans may find that choice frustrating, while viewers hoping for a proper introduction to an unfamiliar musical scene will likewise go away disappointed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Bottom line Although dry, itchy skin is a frustrating problem that can arise when taking cholesterol-lowering medication, using a daily barrier repair cream that can replenish cholesterol in your skin can mitigate these side effects.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
This year’s midterm election already was going to be frustrating for many voters in a vast, rural swath of Northern California whose staunchly conservative district has been redrawn to favor Democrats after the passage of Proposition 50 last fall.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
Cite this Entry
“Frustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrating. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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