# frustrate

/ˈfɹəsˌtɹeɪt/ (US) · /fɹʌstɹˈeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/frustrate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to annoy or discourage

verb · CEFR B2

to make you feel annoyed or less confident because you cannot do what you are trying to do.

For teachers: to cause someone to feel distressed, annoyed, or impatient as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.

- It frustrates me when I can't remember the right word in English.
- The lack of clear communication from the management team continues to frustrate the staff, leading to a significant drop in office morale.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice ('to be frustrated') to describe a person's emotional state.

### 2. to prevent or block

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to stop a plan or an effort from being successful.

For teachers: to prevent a plan or attempted action from progressing or succeeding; to thwart.

- The bad weather frustrated our plans to go hiking this weekend.
- The opposition party managed to frustrate the government's attempts to pass the new tax law through a series of procedural delays.

Usage: Commonly takes a plan, attempt, or ambition as its direct object.

## Examples

- The long lines at the airport will frustrate many travelers.
- The new software update frustrates users because it keeps crashing when they try to save their work.
- The constant interruptions from the construction site frustrate the residents, who are already struggling with the noise and dust of the ongoing renovation.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.