as in annoying
causing annoyance
these daily traffic jams are frustrating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in baffling
to prevent from achieving a goal
a multitude of conflicting opinions frustrated me in my attempt to find a computer that best suits my needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
challenge the math student, but don't frustrate him or her with overly difficult problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frustrating
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Her reasoning is frustrating, but understandable — her husband (Yao), now a vampire, is taunting her outside, and Remmick has threatened to kill her daughter back in town.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
Adjective
His passivity in situations that would enrage most people to the point of action is frustrating.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Her reasoning is frustrating, but understandable — her husband (Yao), now a vampire, is taunting her outside, and Remmick has threatened to kill her daughter back in town.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frustrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frustrating
Adjective
-
Highs come across with sharpness that doesn't stray toward annoying, and the mids are surprisingly full.—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
-
There’s still housing, meals, books and annoying fees.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Though still fuming from his team’s baffling loss to the Bulls – the Warriors squandered an eight-point lead with 91 seconds remaining – Kerr found his composure long enough to crack a joke.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.—
Olivia Sayer,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Critics argue that these tactics risk turning ordinary citizens into human shields, discouraging Israeli or American drone strikes or amplifying the civilian cost if attacks occur.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of listening to and learning from debates, the administration is discouraging them.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Rather than focusing on clarity with harsh actives, a key component to the glass skin trend is using gentle, non-irritating ingredients that take your skin to a healthier state.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
InStyle,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Caustic soda crystals cannot be ingested; baking soda is edible and non-irritating.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But then the team lost Kevin Fiala for the rest of the season to a fractured leg in the Olympic tournament and saw winger Andrei Kuzmenko undergo surgery last week to repair torn meniscus in his right knee, hampering an offense that ranks 28th in the 32-team league in goals.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Public frustration over the district’s academic performance reached a boiling point in August 2024, when Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke at a school board meeting, saying the district’s poor performance was hampering students’ opportunities after high school.—
Silas Allen,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Though intensely disturbing, a scene where a TV shows a distorted iteration of a character that Ohm watched as a kid rings out of place, even if the context involves his mother’s tragic passing.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
If true, this is obviously disturbing.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There are other ballot measure proposals aimed at thwarting the billionaires tax.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
In Florida, more and more government agencies are thwarting the public’s right to know, including attempts to hide the details behind Alligator Alcatraz, the temporary immigrant detention center built in the Florida Everglades in June 2025.—
David Cuillier,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frustrating. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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