frustrating

adjective

frus·​trat·​ing ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ 

: 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

Synonyms

• abrasive
• aggravating
• annoying
• bothersome
• carking
• chafing
• disturbing
• exasperating
• galling
• irksome
• irritating
• maddening
• nettlesome
• nettling
• peeving
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilent
• pestilential
• pesty
• plaguey
• plaguy
• rankling
• rebarbative
• riling
• vexatious
• vexing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

Just frustrating to continue to lump on monthly payments. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 1 Feb. 2025

After a frustrating 2023-24 season cut short by injury, LaVine has returned to the most lethal version of himself on offense while providing stalwart defensive effort as the Bulls cornerstone. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025

The parent tester also found the rotating colors a little frustrating when her child wanted to keep the clock on her favorite shades but couldn’t. —Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 28 Jan. 2025

Perhaps the most frustrating—and startlingly common—experience is being told your medical symptoms, which have nothing to do with mental health, are anxiety. —Angela Haupt, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective

: producing frustration

a frustrating delay

frustratingly adverb