frustrate
verb
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Definition of frustrate
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : to balk or defeat in an endeavor frustrated her opponents by her ball-handling
b : to induce feelings of discouragement in Not being able to find a job frustrated him.
frustrate
adjectiveDefinition of frustrate (Entry 2 of 2)
: characterized by frustration
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Synonyms & Antonyms for frustrate
Synonyms: Verb
chill, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, unman, unnerve
Antonyms: Verb
embolden, encourage, hearten, nerve, steel
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Examples of frustrate in a Sentence
Verb
It frustrated him to miss so many games because of injuries. We've been frustrated by bureaucratic delays. Bureaucratic delays have frustrated our efforts to resolve this problem. The lack of investors has frustrated them in their efforts to expand the company.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The Western world has long seen upticks in nostalgia and reactionism when people are frustrated, fatigued, or frightened. — Heather Souvaine Horn, The New Republic, "Donald Trump, Meghan Markle, and America’s enduring obsession with the British royals," 12 July 2018 The team’s fans are frustrated, and understandably so. — Josh Robbins, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Magic Mailbag: What’s the deal with Orlando’s point guard situation?," 12 July 2018 Restoring Hope’s owner, Gary West, was among those frustrated with the race. — Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, "Questions raised about Belmont race strategy of second Baffert-trained horse, Restoring Hope," 11 June 2018 In January, Marvin Goodfriend, an economist at Carnegie Mellon University nominated for a seat on the Fed’s board, left Democrats frustrated with his answers to their questions. — Nick Timiraos, WSJ, "Fed Nominee Clarida Promises ‘Balanced Approach’ to Monetary Policy," 14 May 2018 Like court nominees before him, Judge Kavanaugh will frustrate his interlocutors with nonanswers so as not to tip his hand on future cases before the court. — The Christian Science Monitor, "A big question for Trump’s Supreme Court nominee," 10 July 2018 Poland was visibly frustrated by his pitching struggles. — Ryan Gregory, Indianapolis Star, "HS baseball: Cathedral beats New Palestine for sectional title, sets up Roncalli rematch," 28 May 2018 Of course, Godfrey is frustrated and feels somewhat humbled. — Pat Disabato, Daily Southtown, "Disabato: Providence graduate Jake Godfrey traces fall from grace in baseball to injuries and being 'immature'," 26 May 2018 People are frustrated with Culberson’s record of inaction and people are ready for someone who’s going to be their advocate. — Ella Nilsen, Vox, "This Democratic primary race is a test of whether unapologetic progressivism can win in Texas," 21 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frustrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for frustrate
frustrate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of frustrate
: to cause (someone) to feel angry, discouraged, or upset because of not being able to do something
: to prevent (efforts, plans, etc.) from succeeding : to keep (someone) from doing something
See the full definition for frustrate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
frustrate
verb
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Kids Definition of frustrate
1 : to cause to feel angry or discouraged The delays frustrated passengers.
2 : to prevent from succeeding Police frustrated the robbery.
3 : defeat entry 1 sense 2 The bad weather frustrated their plans for the beach.
frustrate
transitive verb
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Medical Definition of frustrate
: to induce feelings of frustration in
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frustrate
transitive verb
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Legal Definition of frustrate
: to make invalid or ineffectual : defeat the remedial purposes of the Workers' Compensation Act should not be frustrated by rigid technical standards —Palmer v. Bath Iron Works Corp., 559 A.2d 340 (1989)
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