Frustrating — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ/ frus·trat·ing

Meaning & Definition of Frustrating

Frustrating (adjective)

  1. causing feelings of anger and annoyance, tending to produce or characterized by frustration

Frustrating (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing annoyance

    "these daily traffic jams are frustrating"

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

Frustrating (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: baffling, balking, beating, checkmating, discomfiting, foiling, thwarting
    related: barring, blocking, clogging, encumbering, fettering, hampering, handicapping, hindering, hobbling, holding back, impeding, inhibiting, interfering (with), manacling, obstructing, shackling, trammeling, tying up, arresting, checking, halting, setting back, short-circuiting, stalling, stopping, averting, forestalling, obviating, precluding, preventing, negating, neutralizing, nullifying, counteracting, offsetting, conquering, defeating, overcoming
    opposite: advancing, cultivating, encouraging, forwarding, fostering, furthering, nurturing, promoting
    near: abetting, aiding, assisting, easing, facilitating, smoothing

  2. to lessen the courage or confidence of

    "challenge the math student, but don't frustrate him or her with overly difficult problems"

    similar: chilling, daunting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, unmanning, unnerving, throwing cold water on
    related: browbeating, bullying, cowing, intimidating, depressing, saddening, weighing, afflicting, trying, dampening, damping, deadening, distressing, troubling, bothering, irking, vexing, worrying, debilitating, enfeebling, undermining, weakening, frightening, horrifying, scaring
    opposite: emboldening, encouraging, heartening, nerving, steeling
    near: buoying (up), cheering, gladdening, animating, enlivening, invigorating, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, assuring, reassuring, boosting, energizing, exciting, galvanizing, inspiring, lifting, provoking, quickening, rallying, stimulating, stirring

Related Entry: Frustrate (verb)

Frustrate is a different word from Frustrating. The synonyms below are for frustrate, not for frustrating.

  1. 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"

    similar: baffle, balk, beat, checkmate, discomfit, foil, thwart
    related: bar, block, clog, encumber, fetter, hamper, handicap, hinder, hobble, hold back, impede, inhibit, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, tie up, trammel, arrest, check, halt, set back, short-circuit, stall, stop, avert, forestall, obviate, preclude, prevent, negate, neutralize, nullify, counteract, offset, conquer, defeat, overcome
    opposite: advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nurture, promote
    near: abet, aid, assist, ease, facilitate, smooth

  2. to lessen the courage or confidence of

    "challenge the math student, but don't frustrate him or her with overly difficult problems"

    similar: chill, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, unman, unnerve, throw cold water on
    related: browbeat, bully, cow, intimidate, depress, sadden, weigh, afflict, try, damp, dampen, deaden, distress, trouble, bother, irk, vex, worry, debilitate, enfeeble, undermine, weaken, frighten, horrify, scare
    opposite: embolden, encourage, hearten, nerve, steel
    near: buoy (up), cheer, gladden, animate, enliven, invigorate, enforce, fortify, reinforce, strengthen, assure, reassure, boost, energize, excite, galvanize, inspire, lift, provoke, quicken, rally, stimulate, stir

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Frustrating

The most common words with a similar meaning to Frustrating:

abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing, baffling, balking, beating, checkmating, discomfiting, foiling, thwarting, chilling, daunting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Frustrating

Words with the opposite meaning of Frustrating:

advancing, cultivating, encouraging, forwarding, fostering, furthering, nurturing, promoting, emboldening, heartening, nerving, steeling

Related Words for Frustrating

burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny

Near Antonyms of Frustrating

delightful, pleasing, abetting, aiding, assisting, easing, facilitating, smoothing, buoying (up), cheering, gladdening, animating, enlivening, invigorating, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, assuring, reassuring, boosting, energizing, exciting, galvanizing, inspiring, lifting, provoking, quickening, rallying, stimulating

Word Forms of Frustrating

Derived words: frustratingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Frustrating

First known use: 1837

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Frustrating

Frequently Asked Questions about Frustrating

What does "Frustrating" mean?

"Frustrating" means causing feelings of anger and annoyance, tending to produce or characterized by frustration. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: causing feelings of anger and annoyance, tending to produce or characterized by frustration. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Frustrating"?

Other words for "Frustrating" include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing and exasperating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Frustrating" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Frustrating"?

There are 132 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Frustrating". Common alternatives include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, galling and irksome.

What is the opposite of "Frustrating"?

Antonyms of "Frustrating" include advancing, cultivating, encouraging, forwarding, fostering, furthering, nurturing and promoting. Near antonyms include delightful, pleasing, abetting and aiding.

How do you use "Frustrating" in a sentence?

Examples of "Frustrating" in a sentence: "these daily traffic jams are frustrating"; "a multitude of conflicting opinions frustrated me in my attempt to find a computer that best suits my needs"; "challenge the math student, but don't frustrate him or her with overly difficult problems".

Is "Frustrating" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Frustrating" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Frustrating" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Frustrating" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Frustrating"?

"Frustrating" is pronounced /ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ/ and divided into syllables as frus·trat·ing.