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

Few dynamics in tennis are more frustrating than earning chances to break an opponent and then not even being able to start a point, especially in a major final. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026

In spite of these and other frustrating inconsistencies, this year is a great class of nominees, led by Kendrick Lamar with nine. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026

Nothing is as frustrating as a pair of pruners that stick and don’t move freely. —Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Jan. 2026

At least two previous attempts to do so were rejected by judges, frustrating administration officials. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Jan. 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