frus·trate
ˈfrə-ˌstrāt 
frustrated; frustrating
1
a
: to balk or defeat in an endeavor
frustrated her opponents by her ball-handling
b
: to induce feelings of discouragement in
Not being able to find a job frustrated him.
: characterized by frustration
Synonyms
Examples of frustrate in a Sentence
Verb
It frustrated him to miss so many games because of injuries.
We've been frustrated by bureaucratic delays.
Bureaucratic delays have frustrated our efforts to resolve this problem.
The lack of investors has frustrated them in their efforts to expand the company.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Tangier is the backdrop for many memories in my life, and to return once again brought mixed emotions: happiness to be united with a place that means so much to me and yet frustrated by the challenges of limited mobility and the diminished worldview that resulted.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
But companies working in other sectors of manufacturing, frustrated with quality control and unpredictable delivery of products, are taking action.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
In the previous quarter, Meta announced a $50 billion stock buyback in addition to the company’s first-ever quarterly dividend, an effort to placate investors frustrated by the company’s aggressive spending on technologies that have yet to fully pay off.
—Kurt Wagner, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Nothing frustrates Sonos fans more than that sort of thing, so hopefully there won’t be many holes to plug.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
Among the people frustrated that A Forest Journey was hard to find were the Chouinards.
—Eugene Linden, TIME, 21 Apr. 2024
Greenwald was especially frustrated her clients’ claims were repeatedly deemed deficient.
—Travis Loller, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024
Lee told officers he was frustrated with his home life and decided to vent to his friends.
—The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Some colleges offer students their own aid forms after FAFSA delays frustrate families
As of this week, the U.S. Department of Education said nearly 4 million forms have been successfully submitted.
—The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024
Learn more: Best personal loans Colleges help with their own forms:Some colleges offer students their own aid forms after FAFSA delays frustrate families
What's the Department of Education doing?
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
Though polling in third place overall, Chega could serve as a kingmaker for a conservative coalition — or frustrate efforts to form a government by parties that refuse to partner with it.
—Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
The Dominican Republic seemed content to sit deep and frustrate the US as Korbin Albert hit the underside of the crossbar at the end of the first half.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
Drugstores also have been dealing with several issues that frustrate customers.
—Tom Murphy, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2023
In refusing to tie up loose ends or even explain exactly what our protagonists are up against, the writer-director doesn’t frustrate expectations so much as whet appetite for future installments where those concerns will presumably be addressed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Oct. 2023
Home prices rose in July as low supply continued to frustrate buyers.
—Nicole Friedman, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2023
Verb
Her hiring was one of many criticized by longtime prosecutors frustrated by Gascón’s willingness to empower attorneys who had previously done defense work.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Tangier is the backdrop for many memories in my life, and to return once again brought mixed emotions: happiness to be united with a place that means so much to me and yet frustrated by the challenges of limited mobility and the diminished worldview that resulted.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
But companies working in other sectors of manufacturing, frustrated with quality control and unpredictable delivery of products, are taking action.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
In the previous quarter, Meta announced a $50 billion stock buyback in addition to the company’s first-ever quarterly dividend, an effort to placate investors frustrated by the company’s aggressive spending on technologies that have yet to fully pay off.
—Kurt Wagner, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Nothing frustrates Sonos fans more than that sort of thing, so hopefully there won’t be many holes to plug.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
Among the people frustrated that A Forest Journey was hard to find were the Chouinards.
—Eugene Linden, TIME, 21 Apr. 2024
Greenwald was especially frustrated her clients’ claims were repeatedly deemed deficient.
—Travis Loller, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024
Lee told officers he was frustrated with his home life and decided to vent to his friends.
—The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
Adjective
On its busiest days, Venice swells with tourists who clog the city’s narrow streets, leave behind piles of garbage and often frustrate locals.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Some colleges offer students their own aid forms after FAFSA delays frustrate families
As of this week, the U.S. Department of Education said nearly 4 million forms have been successfully submitted.
—The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024
Learn more: Best personal loans Colleges help with their own forms:Some colleges offer students their own aid forms after FAFSA delays frustrate families
What's the Department of Education doing?
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
Though polling in third place overall, Chega could serve as a kingmaker for a conservative coalition — or frustrate efforts to form a government by parties that refuse to partner with it.
—Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
The Dominican Republic seemed content to sit deep and frustrate the US as Korbin Albert hit the underside of the crossbar at the end of the first half.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
Drugstores also have been dealing with several issues that frustrate customers.
—Tom Murphy, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2023
In refusing to tie up loose ends or even explain exactly what our protagonists are up against, the writer-director doesn’t frustrate expectations so much as whet appetite for future installments where those concerns will presumably be addressed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Oct. 2023
Home prices rose in July as low supply continued to frustrate buyers.
—Nicole Friedman, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frustrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near frustrate
Cite this Entry
“Frustrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frustrate. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
frustrate
transitive verb
frus·trate
ˈfrəs-ˌtrāt
frustrated; frustrating
: to induce feelings of frustration in
Legal Definition
frustrate
transitive verb
frus·trate
ˈfrəs-ˌtrāt
frustrated; frustrating
: to make invalid or ineffectual : defeat
the remedial purposes of the Workers' Compensation Act should not be frustrated by rigid technical standards—Palmer v. Bath Iron Works Corp., 559 A.2d 340 (1989)
Palmer v. Bath Iron Works Corp., 559 A.2d 340 (1989)Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share