exasperate

UK: /ɪgˈzɑːspəreɪt/

US: /ɪgˈzæspəˌreɪt/

US: (v. ig zas′pə rāt′; adj. ig zas′pər it)

Inflections of 'exasperate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

exasperates

v 3rd person singular

exasperating

v pres p

exasperated

v past

exasperated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•as•per•ate /ɪgˈzæspəˌreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -at•ed, -at•ing. 

1. to irritate or provoke to a high degree;
   annoy extremely:
   Constant interruptions exasperate me.

ex•as•per•at•ing, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•as•per•ate  (v. ig zas′pə rāt′;adj. ig zas′pər it), v., -at•ed, -at•ing, adj. 
v.t. 

1. to irritate or provoke to a high degree;
   annoy extremely:
   He was exasperated by the senseless delays.
2. [Archaic.] to increase the intensity or violence of (disease, pain, feelings, etc.).

adj. 

3. Botany rough;
   covered with hard, projecting points, as a leaf.

• Latin exasperātus (past participle of exasperāre to make rough, provoke), equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + asper harsh, rough + -ātus -ate¹
• 1525–35

ex•as′per•at′ed•ly, adv. 
ex•as′per•at′er, n. 
ex•as′per•at′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. incense, anger, vex, inflame, infuriate. See irritate. 
• 2. exacerbate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

exasperate / ɪɡˈzɑːspəˌreɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to cause great irritation or anger to; infuriate
2. to cause (an unpleasant feeling, condition, etc) to worsen; aggravate

adjective

1. having a rough prickly surface because of the presence of hard projecting points

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin exasperāre to make rough, from asper rough

exˈasperˌatedly adverb

exˈasperˌater, exˈasperˌator noun

exˈasperˌating adjective

exˈasperˌatingly adverb

exˌasperˈation noun