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verb

frustrate

fruh-STRAYT

Frustrate (verb) means to prevent someone from achieving something, causing annoyance or disappointment. Example: “Bad weather frustrated their plans for a picnic.”

verb
1
To prevent someone from achieving something, causing annoyance or disappointment.
"Bad weather frustrated their plans for a picnic."
"She was frustrated by the constant delays at work."
2
To block or defeat a plan or effort.
"The defense frustrated every attack the other team tried."

How to use frustrate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stop someone from succeeding, in a way that makes them annoyed or disappointed.

Common pairings
frustrate an attempt frustrate someone's plans feel frustrated

Word forms

more frustrate comparative, frustrated past tense, frustrates singular, most frustrate superlative

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Bad weather _____ their plans for a picnic.

Etymology

From Latin frūstrō, "to deceive, disappoint," via Middle English frustraten.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for frustrate

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Frequently asked questions

What does “frustrate” mean?

The word “frustrate” means to prevent someone from achieving something, causing annoyance or disappointment. In plain terms, to stop someone from succeeding, in a way that makes them annoyed or disappointed.

How do you pronounce “frustrate”?

“Frustrate” is pronounced fruh-STRAYT (/ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “frustrate” in a sentence?

Here is “frustrate” used in a sentence: “Bad weather frustrated their plans for a picnic.”

What is another word for “frustrate”?

Words with a similar meaning to “frustrate” include confound.

What part of speech is “frustrate”?

“Frustrate” is a verb.

Where does the word “frustrate” come from?

The word “frustrate” comes from Latin. From Latin frūstrō, "to deceive, disappoint," via Middle English frustraten.

How many meanings does “frustrate” have?

“Frustrate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to prevent someone from achieving something, causing annoyance or disappointment.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial