frustrating
8 synonyms for frustrating, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Causing feelings of annoyance or discouragement, often because something is unnecessarily difficult.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use frustrating
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a frustrating experience
incredibly frustrating
frustrating delay
Etymology
From frustrate plus the ending -ing.
Full origin of frustrating →Frequently asked questions
What does “frustrating” mean?
The word “frustrating” means causing feelings of annoyance or discouragement, often because something is unnecessarily difficult. In plain terms, making you feel annoyed or discouraged, usually because of needless difficulty.
How do you pronounce “frustrating”?
“Frustrating” is pronounced fruh-STRAY-tihng (/ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪ̯tɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “frustrating” in a sentence?
Here is “frustrating” used in a sentence: “It's frustrating when the website crashes right before you submit a form.”
What part of speech is “frustrating”?
“Frustrating” is an adjective.
Is “frustrating” a common word?
“Frustrating” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "frustrating" and "frustrated"?
"Frustrating" describes something that causes annoyance, as in "a frustrating delay," while "frustrated" describes the person who feels that annoyance, as in "I was frustrated." The situation is frustrating; the person is frustrated.
What is the difference between "frustrating" and "annoying"?
Both describe things that bother you, but "frustrating" specifically suggests being blocked or thwarted, often because something is unnecessarily difficult, while "annoying" is broader and covers any minor irritation. A slow website is annoying; being unable to finish a task because of it is frustrating.
What nouns commonly follow "frustrating"?
"Frustrating" often describes "experience," "situation," "delay," "process," "day," and "problem." In each case it signals that the thing is not just unpleasant but obstructive or hard to get past.
Is "frustrating" formal or informal?
"Frustrating" is neutral and appears in both casual conversation and formal writing. It conveys a mix of annoyance and thwarted effort, making it more specific than a plain word like "bad."
