frustration.

1. Dissatisfaction or irritation caused by being prevented from attaining a goal or fulfilling a need.

2. The prevention or thwarting of an intended action or result.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• mounting frustration
• frustration at delays

On the page

Frustration sharpened her questions each time the clerk repeated the same instruction.

He recognized frustration, rather than hostility, in the apprentice’s silence.

Usage notes

Primary category: psychological / character. Forms: Usually uncountable. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.