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 of frustrating

• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

But these recent years have been frustrating, particularly this current administration, which was why Saturday was his second time attending the vigils. —Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026

Anti-immigration bills in the Idaho Statehouse are crashing up against political reality, frustrating some proponents. —Idaho Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026

Beebe says his past work with public lands made the sign removals all the more frustrating. —Owen Clarke, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026

Your answers may determine whether your diet leads to lasting results or another frustrating cycle of weight loss and regain. —Fred Sassani, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, 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