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

• abrasive
• aggravating
• annoying
• bothersome
• carking
• chafing
• disturbing
• exasperating
• galling
• irksome
• irritating
• maddening
• nettlesome
• nettling
• peeving
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilent
• pestilential
• pesty
• plaguey
• plaguy
• rankling
• rebarbative
• riling
• vexatious
• vexing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

On a bizarre, frustrating phone call; absentees at the Republican convention; the brilliance of Bob Newhart; and more In the 2021–22 season, Saturday Night Live ran a sketch about canceling cable. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 22 July 2024

Somehow, despite the countless options, finding the ultimate tank top can be an elusive — and, frankly, frustrating task. —Liz Doupnik, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2024

Getting stuck on a concept or stumbling over words on the tip of your tongue would both be frustrating. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 19 July 2024

Olympics update ⚽ Warmup match: After a frustrating night on the soccer field, the US Women’s National Team turned its attention to the start of the Olympics and the chase for another gold medal. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 17 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective

: producing frustration

a frustrating delay

frustratingly adverb