Word
frustration
Frustration is the feeling of annoyance or stress when you cannot achieve what you want.
Meanings
The feeling of annoyance or stress caused by being unable to do or achieve something.
Something that causes this feeling; an obstacle or problem that prevents progress.
Definition
Frustration is a negative emotion you feel when your efforts are blocked or your expectations are not met. It often includes irritation, impatience, and a sense of being stuck. People may experience frustration because of delays, repeated failure, unclear rules, or problems they cannot control.
Examples
- After three rejected drafts, Maya admitted her frustration and asked for clearer feedback.
- I tried to stay calm, but the constant buffering pushed my frustration to the surface.
- Their frustration grew as the team kept changing priorities without explaining why.
- You could hear his frustration in the pause before he answered the same question again.
- The coach treated the loss as information, not as an excuse for frustration.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "frustration" (the feeling) with "frustrating" (something that causes the feeling).
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 nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …