exasperation

noun

ex·​as·​per·​a·​tion ig-ˌza-spə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: the state of being exasperated

2

: the act or an instance of exasperating someone

Synonyms of exasperation

• headache
• frustration
• annoyance
• thorn
• nuisance
• worry

Examples of exasperation in a Sentence

They had all experienced the exasperation and frustration of holiday shopping.

add people who use cell phones inconsiderately to the list of daily exasperations

Recent Examples on the Web

Raman’s campaign, Horvath said, was about building power by acknowledging the exasperation of voters rather than building traditional coalitions in what has been an unresponsive political establishment. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

At the heart of this movie is a tantalizing hint of an exasperation that’s not just that of a teenager, but of a generation. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

New York fans quickly shed their joy, exchanging it for exasperation. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026

But the fear and exasperation among the lenders whose money fuels this game sharpened noticeably over the past week. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for exasperation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

exasperation

noun

ex·​as·​per·​a·​tion ig-ˌzas-pə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: extreme annoyance : anger

2

: a source of annoyance