Synonym Chooser

How does the verb frustrate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of frustrate are baffle, balk, foil, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

When is baffle a more appropriate choice than frustrate?

The words baffle and frustrate can be used in similar contexts, but baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

When could balk be used to replace frustrate?

In some situations, the words balk and frustrate are roughly equivalent. However, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

When might foil be a better fit than frustrate?

The words foil and frustrate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

In what contexts can thwart take the place of frustrate?

The meanings of thwart and frustrate largely overlap; however, thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of frustrate San Diego officials have been frustrated for years by increasing homeless counts despite millions of dollars spent and an unknown amount of sweat and tears and sometimes blood expended to reverse it. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025 Alex Caruso, the 6-foot-5 defensive savant who spent so much of the evening frustrating the 6-11 Nikola Jokić, was the real MVP of the night (Jokić had 20 points on 5-of-9 shooting, with nine rebounds, seven assists and five turnovers). Sam Amick, New York Times, 19 May 2025 The naming practices can frustrate efforts to track the chemicals in food, to measure how much of the stuff people are taking in, and even to figure out precisely which chemicals a scientific study evaluated, researchers said. David Hilzenrath, CNN Money, 19 May 2025 Victims' families and lawyers appalled by apparent DOJ decision against Boeing The latest DOJ proposal with Boeing has left the victims' families frustrated and angry, their lawyers said. Terry Collins, USA Today, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for frustrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frustrate
Verb
  • Musk also joined Trump in criticizing the courts for trying to thwart DOGE cuts and executive actions, including tariffs and migrant deportations.
    Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025
  • Defenses managed to down six ballistic missiles and 128 drones, while another 117 drones disappeared from radar and were thwarted by electronic warfare, the statement said.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • That guidance similarly discourages blanket exclusions and encourages individualized assessments that consider the nature of the offense, its recency, and its relevance to the job.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • State wildlife biologists and Parks and Wildlife officials said killing the wolf is meant to change pack behavior by discouraging the predators from targeting livestock.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025
  • Online shopping has been severely hampered at the retailer due to outages to its website that are expected to last into July.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • What’s more, the double-stitched seams and baffle box design keep lumps at bay.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
  • The owner shared a video of the car veering left, a video that has Tesla examiner’s baffled.
    Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • He has been charged with a collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension, both misdemeanors.
    Peter D'Abrosca , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025
  • However, incomplete knowledge of prolonged symptoms experienced after a young child’s own SARS-CoV-2 infection hinders prevention and treatment of LC in infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.
    Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • The affair did not impede Smotrich’s ascent as a settler activist and politician.
    Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
  • Any action that impedes these dynamics should be flatly rejected because unnecessarily regulating a competitive marketplace will only harm consumers.
    Michael Santorelli, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • The looming presence of this political specter is seldom tethered to the ongoing rigamarole, except in the minor instance of Yahya being prevented, by the Israeli authority, from traveling to the West Bank to see his mother.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 May 2025
  • The guardianship legally prevents Haron from removing or having contact with Taube without permission.
    Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • Florida is 48-15 on the season and defeated its conference foe, Georgia, in the Super Regional.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
  • Su-hun represents everything Mun-oh aspires to be, serving as both inspiration and source of secret envy that has left Mun-oh feeling perpetually defeated.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Frustrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frustrate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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