exasperation

[ ig-zas-puh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of exasperating; provocation.
2. the state of being exasperated; irritation; extreme annoyance:

   Her exasperation at being interrupted was understandable.

Word History and Origins

Origin of exasperation¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin exasperātiōn-, stem of exasperātiō “roughness, bitterness”; equivalent to exasperate + -ion

Example Sentences

Some trustees have expressed exasperation at state expectations to increase California enrollment and help students graduate to help fill projected workforce shortages while reducing funding to do the work.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’ve told you a million times, I’m not Cuban,” he says with mock exasperation.

From Los Angeles Times

In “Two Things,” she finds the ragged edge of her honeyed voice to put across the exasperation involved in a love-hate relationship; in “We Broke Up,” she realizes that closure is available only to those who are ready for it: “I could take a deep dive in the details / I could hide, I could cry till I throw up / Take a stroll, camera roll, old emails / But it’s as simple as, ‘We broke up.’”

From Los Angeles Times

“What an idiot… Do you just want to stand there and get caught by the police?” the smuggler asked, with rising exasperation.

From BBC

And after years of calling for change, there’s a growing sense of exasperation among those on the front lines.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anger
• annoyance
• displeasure
• fury
• ire
• irritation
• pique
• rage
• resentment