Synonyms of frustrating

frustrating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ 

as in annoying

causing annoyance

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• delightful
• pleasing

frustrating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of frustrate

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

• baffling
• hampering
• thwarting
• balking
• hindering
• preventing
• discomfiting
• defeating
• stopping
• impeding
• overcoming
• foiling
• beating
• halting
• blocking
• obstructing
• checkmating
• handicapping
• stalling
• interfering (with)
• inhibiting
• arresting
• checking
• clogging
• encumbering
• barring
• hobbling
• holding back
• tying up
• precluding
• obviating
• forestalling
• negating
• conquering
• neutralizing
• nullifying
• manacling
• averting
• offsetting
• counteracting
• shackling
• fettering
• short-circuiting
• setting back
• trammeling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouraging
• promoting
• advancing
• assisting
• furthering
• fostering
• forwarding
• cultivating
• aiding
• facilitating
• nurturing
• abetting
• smoothing
• easing

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

• discouraging
• daunting
• disheartening
• intimidating
• unnerving
• frightening
• dispiriting
• demoralizing
• dismaying
• troubling
• horrifying
• worrying
• bothering
• scaring
• distressing
• chilling
• trying
• afflicting
• saddening
• throwing cold water on
• depressing
• unmanning
• bullying
• weighing
• debilitating
• vexing
• browbeating
• undermining
• deadening
• weakening
• irking
• cowing
• damping
• dampening
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouraging
• cheering
• invigorating
• exciting
• reinforcing
• enforcing
• heartening
• nerving
• enlivening
• reassuring
• emboldening
• animating
• strengthening
• assuring
• gladdening
• stimulating
• steeling
• inspiring
• stirring
• buoying (up)
• fortifying
• provoking
• energizing
• lifting
• galvanizing
• quickening
• rallying
• boosting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of frustrating

Adjective

Theirs is a loving relationship, yet reminders about his frustrating habits don’t work on this letter writer’s husband. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026

Fishlock, Wales’s all-time leading scorer, scored the winner in the 85th minute as the Reign defeated Bay FC 3-2 Saturday night at PayPal Park, handing Bay another frustrating home loss. — Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026

Verb

But Algo’s hyper-logical, computerised process of consistently picking the favourites to win was undone in the second match of the day, with Ghana frustrating England in a 0-0 draw. — The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 24 June 2026

The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026