frustrating

adjective

frus·​trat·​ing ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ How to pronounce frustrating (audio)
: 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

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating. these daily traffic jams are frustrating
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the more immediately frustrating part is that the new remote doesn’t have a dedicated button for switching input modes, as previous remotes from LG and countless other remotes do. Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2025 As any good leader will tell you, leading is inevitably frustrating and emotionally demanding. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 After sharing this frustrating experience on social media, the video went viral with over 1.8 million views and almost 15,000 likes on Instagram, as well as nearly 1 million views on TikTok. Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025 Managing your feelings in front of your children can be difficult — but taking more control over your feelings in frustrating situations is ultimately rewarding, Barnard College child psychologist Tovah Klein told CNBC Make It last year. Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for frustrating 

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frustrating was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near frustrating

Cite this Entry

“Frustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrating. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective
: producing frustration
a frustrating delay
frustratingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on frustrating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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