frustrated

adjective

frus·​trat·​ed ˈfrə-ˌstrā-təd How to pronounce frustrated (audio)
: feeling, showing, or characterized by frustration: such as
a
: feeling discouragement, anger, and annoyance because of unresolved problems or unfulfilled goals, desires, or needs
In fact Harry thought his behavior had been very good considering how frustrated and angry he felt at being stuck in Privet Drive this long …J. K. Rowling
b
: having an ambition that has not been realized
a frustrated actor [=a person who wants to be an actor but has not succeeded in becoming one]
Over the past decade, however, advances in digital printing technologies have brought the costs of publication down and paved the way for thousands of frustrated writers to get their work into print.Robert K. J. Killheffer

Examples of frustrated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the collections process, where friction and inefficiencies can lead to delays, lost revenue and frustrated customers. Kyle MacDonald, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 The Department of Correction came under fire Tuesday from a frustrated New York City Council member over continuing delays in opening a 104-bed therapeutic unit at Bellevue Hospital for people held in the city’s jails. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025 So the lieutenant feigns heterosexuality to get out of jail and secretly satisfy all the frustrated wives and servicewomen on the base. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2025 Activists insist that the space must be maintained to commemorate Floyd's legacy, while frustrated business owners want to return to the way things used to be and fully reopen the space for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for frustrated

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1643, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frustrated was circa 1643

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Cite this Entry

“Frustrated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrated. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

frustrated

adjective
frus·​trat·​ed
: filled with a sense of frustration : feeling deep insecurity, discouragement, or dissatisfaction
learned not to resort to aggressiveness when frustratedAshley Montagu

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