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

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

Synonyms

• abrasive
• aggravating
• annoying
• bothersome
• carking
• chafing
• disturbing
• exasperating
• galling
• irksome
• irritating
• maddening
• nettlesome
• nettling
• peeving
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilent
• pestilential
• pesty
• plaguey
• plaguy
• rankling
• rebarbative
• riling
• vexatious
• vexing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

This year’s mayoral race has so far been a strange, frustrating exercise. —Eric Lach, New Yorker, 13 June 2025

However, managing their ripeness can be a frustrating endeavor. —Maryal Miller Carter, USA Today, 13 June 2025

After their underlings screwed up the Geneva trade agreement, the two bosses had to get involved which must be frustrating for them. —Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

And here’s what’s really, really frustrating about all of this: Up until that point, Thug Life is captivating. —Anupama Chopra, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for frustrating

• abating
• awaiting
• berating
• castrating
• chelating
• collating
• conflating
• creating
• debating
• deflating
• derating
• dictating

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective

: producing frustration

a frustrating delay

frustratingly adverb