exasperated

adjective

ex·​as·​per·​at·​ed ig-ˈza-spə-ˌrā-təd 

: having or showing strong feelings of irritation or annoyance

an exasperated sigh

Ricardo congratulated himself on having left his revolver behind. He was so exasperated that he didn't know what he might have done.

—Joseph Conrad

… she is the sort of curmudgeon who makes a point of trampling on flower beds when she goes for a walk, and greets the death of her longtime housekeeper … with a grim, exasperated roll of the eyes.

—Ben Brantley

exasperatedly adverb

"I keep telling them not to ring the doorbell!" said Sirius exasperatedly, hurrying back out of the room.

—J. K. Rowling

It's aggravation that motivates Tennison's signature tic: running her fingers exasperatedly through her short, faded blonde hair.

—Rand Richards Cooper

Did you know?

Exacerbate vs. Exasperate

Exacerbate is frequently confused with exasperate, and with good reason. Not only do these words resemble one another in spelling and pronunciation, they also at one time held exceedingly similar meanings. Exasperate is today most commonly used as a synonym of annoy, but for several hundred years it also had the meanings “to make more grievous” and “to make harsh or harsher.” Exacerbate is now the more common choice of these two words when one seeks to indicate that something is becoming increasingly bitter, violent, or unpleasant. It comes in part from the Latin word acer, meaning “sharp,” whereas exasperate is from asper, the Latin word for “rough.”

Synonyms

• annoyed
• irritated
• angry
• bothered
• upset
• aggravated

Examples of exasperated in a Sentence

overworked, exasperated parents barking at their children over little things

Recent Examples on the Web

Finally, with homicides soaring to record levels, exasperated authorities pivoted to a novel strategy: Mexico filed a $10-billion suit in U.S. federal court seeking to have Smith & Wesson and other signature manufacturers held accountable for the country’s epidemic of shooting deaths. —Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025

Sabalenka was often frustrated during the first set, remonstrating and shouting at herself and frequently turning around to look at her team with an exasperated look on her face. —Jerome Pugmire, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025

In a one-scene cameo, Kyle MacLachlan represents the tough-love alternative as Kate’s exasperated ex-husband, who’s ready to throw in the towel, but agrees to write one last check — well aware his daughter will find some way to waste it. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 June 2025

Her announcement came the day after a chaotic two-hour debate punctuated by candidates shouting over an increasingly exasperated slate of moderators. —Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 6 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exasperated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated