frustrate
verb · adjective
Simple meaning
To make someone feel upset because they cannot succeed.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
fruhstraytSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈfɹʌstɹeɪt
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
“What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge.”
transitive
To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of something expected or desired.
transitive
To hinder or thwart.
transitive
To cause stress or annoyance.
adjective
Ineffectual; useless; fruitless.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient
- Frequency
- Rare
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
Used this way, frustrate is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use frustrate
- “What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “frustrate” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.