Word
frustrating
Meanings
Making you feel annoyed or upset because it is difficult, slow, or prevents progress.
Disappointing because it fails to produce the expected result despite effort.
Definition
Frustrating describes something that makes you feel annoyed or upset because it is difficult or prevents progress.
If something is frustrating, it repeatedly blocks you from achieving what you want to do. It often involves delays, confusion, or problems that seem unnecessary. The feeling it creates is usually a mix of irritation and disappointment because your effort does not lead to the result you expected.
Examples
- The constant buffering during the video call was frustrating, especially when I needed to present my ideas clearly.
- She found it frustrating that the instructions contradicted each other, so she had to guess what the device actually required.
- They described the negotiation as frustrating because every small point had to be revisited from the beginning.
- It was frustrating to watch the team dominate possession and still miss the simplest chances.
- You may find it frustrating at first, but the new software becomes intuitive once you learn the shortcuts.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "frustrating" (causing annoyance) with "frustrated" (feeling annoyed).
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.