frustrating

adjective

frus·​trat·​ing ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ How to pronounce frustrating (audio)
Synonyms of frustratingnext
: 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

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating. these daily traffic jams are frustrating
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The possibilities for either an overload of unearned feelings or a frustrating reversal back to darkness loom threateningly. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026 So much of what makes the American celebrity version of The Traitors both entertaining and frustrating is the poor gameplay; outside of the career gamers, most Faithfuls are basing everything on vibes. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 As frustrating as those frizzies may feel, patience is key; the postpartum regrowth period won’t last forever. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026 The fact that Messi had just returned from a hamstring strain — an injury serious enough to force the postponement of this very match — makes the lack of adequate crowd control all the more frustrating. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frustrating

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frustrating was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrating. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective
: producing frustration
a frustrating delay
frustratingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on frustrating

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