exasperated

adjective

ex·​as·​per·​at·​ed ig-ˈza-spə-ˌrā-təd 

: having or showing strong feelings of irritation or annoyance

an exasperated sigh

Ricardo congratulated himself on having left his revolver behind. He was so exasperated that he didn't know what he might have done.

—Joseph Conrad

… she is the sort of curmudgeon who makes a point of trampling on flower beds when she goes for a walk, and greets the death of her longtime housekeeper … with a grim, exasperated roll of the eyes.

—Ben Brantley

exasperatedly adverb

"I keep telling them not to ring the doorbell!" said Sirius exasperatedly, hurrying back out of the room.

—J. K. Rowling

It's aggravation that motivates Tennison's signature tic: running her fingers exasperatedly through her short, faded blonde hair.

—Rand Richards Cooper

Did you know?

Exacerbate vs. Exasperate

Exacerbate is frequently confused with exasperate, and with good reason. Not only do these words resemble one another in spelling and pronunciation, they also at one time held exceedingly similar meanings. Exasperate is today most commonly used as a synonym of annoy, but for several hundred years it also had the meanings “to make more grievous” and “to make harsh or harsher.” Exacerbate is now the more common choice of these two words when one seeks to indicate that something is becoming increasingly bitter, violent, or unpleasant. It comes in part from the Latin word acer, meaning “sharp,” whereas exasperate is from asper, the Latin word for “rough.”

Synonyms

• aggravated
• annoyed
• bothered
• galled
• irked
• irritated
• narked [British]
• peeved
• put out
• scunnered [chiefly Scottish]
• teed off
• vexed

Examples of exasperated in a Sentence

overworked, exasperated parents barking at their children over little things

Recent Examples on the Web

The bans follow an onslaught of viral TikTok memes showing exasperated teens re-creating slipping on Crocs and tripping in their school hallways—a trend even Crocs acknowledged on the social media platform. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2024

The mighty Roosevelt Johnson pulls a dual role as the exasperated ghost of Pap and the despicable Uncle Rev. —Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 25 Oct. 2024

Here’s how to counter a less-than-ideal offer and negotiate for a higher wage: Watch your tone Negotiations are fraught with emotion; offering a curt response or exasperated sigh could kill the discussion, fast. —Morgan Smith, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024

On her face is something halfway between a grimace and an incredulous smile—a facial expression that many Harris supporters likely recognize as a universal, exasperated response to a Trump rant. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above