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
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
Hew Strachan
Examples of frustrating in a Sentence
All these delays have been very frustrating.
these daily traffic jams are frustrating
Recent Examples on the Web
What’s more frustrating is that neither of the bracket’s two best overall performers will be proceeding on to the semifinals, and in hindsight, one of them — Acid Betty — really wasn’t given a chance.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 27 June 2025
The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.
—Linda Holmes, NPR, 26 June 2025
There are a wide variety of bass strikes (including fully airborne ones), but the most frustrating scenario is when a bass smashes the lure but doesn’t eat it.
—Kristine Fischer, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2025
But with very strict internal logic about what constitutes a proper jump, and some very unforgiving windows to do it correctly, solving basic puzzles and dodging hazards can be frustrating.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chris Feil, Vulture, 27 June 2025
The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.
—Linda Holmes, NPR, 26 June 2025
There are a wide variety of bass strikes (including fully airborne ones), but the most frustrating scenario is when a bass smashes the lure but doesn’t eat it.
—Kristine Fischer, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2025
But with very strict internal logic about what constitutes a proper jump, and some very unforgiving windows to do it correctly, solving basic puzzles and dodging hazards can be frustrating.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
Cite this Entry
“Frustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrating. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share