frustration

noun

frus·​tra·​tion (ˌ)frə-ˈstrā-shən 

1

: the act of frustrating

the frustration of creative instinct is a notorious evil of the machine age

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

2

a

: the state or an instance of being frustrated

These bureaucratic delays have been causing us a lot of frustration.

b

: a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs

loneliness and frustration; those are two constant themes in American literature

—Malcolm Cowley

3

: something that frustrates

the government's frustrations with seemingly insoluble problems

Synonyms

• aggravation
• aggro [British]
• annoyance
• bother
• botheration
• bugbear
• exasperation
• hair shirt
• hassle
• headache
• inconvenience
• irk
• irritant
• nuisance
• peeve
• pest
• rub
• ruffle
• thorn
• trial
• vexation

Examples of frustration in a Sentence

He shook his head in frustration.

These bureaucratic delays have been causing us a lot of frustration.

These delays have proven to be a major frustration.

We've been experiencing a lot of frustrations.

He was angry about the frustration of his plans.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ultimately, what broke the camel’s back was my frustration with their ability to build. —Jane Thier, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2023

Several Jewish delegates to the convention expressed frustration that protesters who had not registered to attend the convention could so easily enter the facility. —Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023

Growing frustration Gaza’s main power plant shut down early in the war, and Israel has cut off electricity. —Najib Jobain, Bassem Mroue, and Samy Magdy, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Nov. 2023

Other Republicans saw autoworkers’ frustration with electric vehicles as a chance to win over labor unions and their millions of voters. —John Tillman, National Review, 16 Nov. 2023

Among those who do make their living as actors, there is some frustration about so many nonprofessionals having a say over their livelihoods. —Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Nov. 2023

By studying how each user interacts with applications, CIOs can increase the value of software investments and reduce user frustration, thus driving greater employee productivity and higher customer satisfaction. —Khadim Batti, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

In Tel Aviv, thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday night, expressing frustration with the government's response to more than 200 hostages that Hamas and other militant groups captured on October 7th. —Nbc Universal, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2023

The parental frustration that stemmed from the pandemic was widespread in school boards across the commonwealth and country. —Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

frustration

noun

frus·​tra·​tion (ˌ)frəs-ˈtrā-shən 

1

a

: an act of frustrating

b

: a state or an instance of being frustrated

2

: a feeling of being unable to get anything done

3

: something that frustrates

Medical Definition

frustration

noun

frus·​tra·​tion (ˌ)frəs-ˈtrā-shən 

1

: a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs

2

: something that frustrates

Legal Definition

frustration

noun

frus·​tra·​tion ˌfrəs-ˈtrā-shən 

1

a

: the act of frustrating

b

: the state or an instance of being frustrated

c

: something that frustrates

2

: a common-law doctrine of contract law: parties to a contract may be excused from performance even though performance is still possible if the reason for making the contract is partially or completely frustrated by a fortuitous event or by circumstances which are not the fault of either party

called also frustration of purpose, frustration of the venture

compare cause sense 4, force majeure clause, impossibility, impracticability

Note: In order for frustration to be used as a successful defense to a breach of contract claim, the reason for making the contract must have been contemplated or recognized by both the contracting parties even though it was not expressed in the contract.