Synonyms of exasperate

exasperate 1 of 3

verb (1)

ig-ˈza-spə-ˌrāt 

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

small children can exasperate their parents with endless questions about why this or that is so

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoy
• irritate
• bother
• aggravate
• persecute
• bug
• infuriate
• irk
• vex
• rile
• spite
• anger
• get
• worry
• chafe
• eat
• pique
• provoke
• burn (up)
• itch
• gripe
• grate
• ruffle
• tease
• get to
• frost
• wear on
• nark
• insult
• gall
• plague
• hack (off)
• peeve
• put out
• nettle
• rub the wrong way
• enrage
• rasp
• offend
• inflame
• harass
• nag
• rouse
• upset
• get on one's nerves
• stick in one's craw
• unsettle
• set one's teeth on edge
• antagonize
• heckle
• get one's goat
• hassle
• agitate
• pester
• distress
• perturb
• outrage
• discomfort
• devil
• rankle
• discompose
• disquiet
• badger
• roil
• unhinge
• affront
• harry
• madden
• bait
• undo
• exercise
• fret
• incense
• freak (out)
• bullyrag
• miff
• hagride

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appease
• placate
• pacify
• oblige
• conciliate
• please
• delight
• satisfy
• gratify
• mollify
• propitiate
• assure
• reassure
• soothe
• cheer
• gladden
• comfort
• content
• console
• quiet
• solace

exasperating

2 of 3

adjective

ig-ˈza-spə-ˌrā-tiŋ 

as in frustrating

causing annoyance

those exasperating details that come with almost any job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• frustrating
• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing
• aggravating
• maddening
• irksome
• vexing
• painful
• vexatious
• bothersome
• abrasive
• nettlesome
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilential
• galling
• infuriating
• rebarbative
• nettling
• distractive
• plaguey
• stressful
• peeving
• pesty
• troubling
• pestilent
• carking
• troublesome
• chafing
• rankling
• riling
• burdensome
• mischievous
• importunate
• disquieting
• displeasing
• tiresome
• discomforting
• upsetting
• distressing
• biting
• enraging
• offensive
• worrisome
• trying
• angering
• inconveniencing
• importune
• thorny
• jarring
• bratty
• brattish
• grating
• spiny
• jangling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• delightful
• pleasing

exasperating

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of exasperate

as in annoying

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

small children can exasperate their parents with endless questions about why this or that is so

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoying
• irritating
• bothering
• bugging
• persecuting
• aggravating
• infuriating
• vexing
• getting
• irking
• worrying
• grating
• nettling
• angering
• galling
• griping
• itching
• eating
• burning (up)
• ruffling
• riling
• chafing
• spiting
• teasing
• insulting
• plaguing
• rasping
• peeving
• hacking (off)
• frosting
• provoking
• piquing
• getting to
• narking
• wearing on
• enraging
• putting out
• upsetting
• harassing
• maddening
• nagging
• rubbing the wrong way
• sticking in one's craw
• getting on one's nerves
• unsettling
• setting one's teeth on edge
• hassling
• heckling
• getting one's goat
• rousing
• badgering
• offending
• distressing
• disquieting
• pestering
• discomforting
• antagonizing
• inflaming
• agitating
• harrying
• perturbing
• outraging
• baiting
• incensing
• roiling
• rankling
• affronting
• undoing
• unhinging
• fretting
• exercising
• bullyragging
• freaking (out)
• deviling
• hagriding
• miffing
• discomposing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obliging
• gratifying
• satisfying
• pacifying
• conciliating
• placating
• appeasing
• pleasing
• delighting
• reassuring
• comforting
• mollifying
• assuring
• propitiating
• soothing
• cheering
• consoling
• quieting
• contenting
• gladdening
• solacing

Synonym Chooser

How is the word exasperate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of exasperate are irritate, nettle, peeve, provoke, and rile. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When might irritate be a better fit than exasperate?

While in some cases nearly identical to exasperate, irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When can nettle be used instead of exasperate?

In some situations, the words nettle and exasperate are roughly equivalent. However, nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When is it sensible to use peeve instead of exasperate?

The meanings of peeve and exasperate largely overlap; however, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

In what contexts can provoke take the place of exasperate?

Although the words provoke and exasperate have much in common, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When is rile a more appropriate choice than exasperate?

The words rile and exasperate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of exasperate

Verb

His confirmation process was ugly, and some of his actions during his first few months on the job exasperated the White House. — Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

These loud parties can devolve into violence, exasperating community leaders and the police. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 11 May 2026

Adjective

The irony is that many people relish using AI due to the fact that the AI seems to be more attentive, more patient, and less exasperating than talking to a fellow human. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026

Of course, that doesn’t mean the company — which is currently under intense financial pressure, probably explaining the whole exasperating situation in the first place — won’t just institute an even more aggravating popup that breaks the site for all users. — Jon Christian, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026

Verb

Certain statutes explicitly appeal to what’s reasonable—exasperating those who find the standard hopelessly indeterminate. — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

The phenomenon is even exasperating institutions. — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026

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