exasperate
/ɪɡˈzɑː.spər.eɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to make someone very annoyed, frustrated, or angry, especially after something keeps happening. It is stronger than "annoy" and often shows growing irritation.
- The delay exasperated the passengers.
- His excuses exasperate me.
- False promises exasperate many voters.
Adinary Nuance
Exasperate is stronger than annoy, irritate, or upset. Use it when the feeling is intense and often built up over time. It sounds more serious and formal than everyday words like "bug" or "miff".
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- làm bực bội
- Spanish
- exasperar
- Chinese
- 使恼火
- Japanese
- いらだたせる
- Korean
- 짜증나게 하다
Etymology
From Latin exasperare, meaning “to make rough” or “irritate.” It entered English in the late 16th century with the sense of making someone angry or annoyed.
Common phrases
exasperate someonebe exasperated by somethingutterly exasperatean exasperating delay
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is exasperate formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal and common in writing, news, and careful speech.
- What is the difference between exasperate and annoy?
- Exasperate means a stronger, more intense form of annoyance.
- Can I say "I am exasperated"?
- Yes. It means you feel very annoyed or frustrated.
- How do I use exasperate in a sentence?
- Use it as a verb: "The noise exasperated her."