frustrate

UK: /frʌˈstreɪt/ US: /ˈfrʌstreɪt/ ,(frus′trāt)

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

frustrates

v 3rd person singular

frustrating

v pres p

frustrated

v past

frustrated

v past p

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

frus•trate /ˈfrʌstreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -trat•ed, -trat•ing. 

1. to make (plans, efforts, etc.) worthless or of no use;
   defeat:
   The steady rains frustrated our plans.
2. to disappoint;
   discourage;
   thwart:
   If you give a child problems that are hard to solve, you may frustrate him.

frus•tra•tion, n. [uncountable] :

feelings of frustration.

[countable] took his frustrations out on his staff.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

frus•trate  (frus′trāt), v., -trat•ed, -trat•ing, adj. 
v.t. 

1. to make (plans, efforts, etc.) worthless or of no avail; defeat;
   nullify:
   The student's indifference frustrated the teacher's efforts to help him.
2. to disappoint or thwart (a person):
   a talented woman whom life had frustrated.

v.i. 

3. to become frustrated:
   His trouble is that he frustrates much too easily.

adj. 

4. frustrated.

• Latin frustrātus, past participle of frustrārī, verb, verbal derivative of frustrā in vain
• late Middle English 1400–50

frus′trat•er, n. 
frus′trat•ing•ly, adv. 
frus•tra•tive  (frus′trā tiv, -trə-), adj.  Synonyms

• 1. balk, foil, circumvent. See thwart. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

frustrate / frʌˈstreɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; thwart
2. to upset, agitate, or tire

adjective

1. frustrated or thwarted; baffled

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin frustrāre to cheat, from frustrā in error