exasperate

IPA

Dictionary definition of exasperate

To irritate, annoy, or frustrate someone to a great degree.
"The children's constant fighting started to exasperate their usually patient mother."

Detailed meaning of exasperate

It can also refer to the state of being extremely irritated or frustrated. When someone is exasperated, they may feel a strong sense of annoyance or frustration with a person, situation, or event. This can lead to feelings of anger, disappointment, or hopelessness. Exasperation can be caused by a variety of things, such as dealing with a difficult person, being stuck in a frustrating situation, or facing repeated setbacks. The degree of exasperation will depend on the person and the situation. Some people may be more easily exasperated than others, while some situations may be more likely to cause feelings of frustration.

Example sentences of exasperate

1. The continuous noise from the construction site would exasperate anyone trying to focus.
2. It does nothing but exasperate the situation when you refuse to listen.
3. Sometimes, his persistent excuses exasperate the whole team.
4. The delays in the production line continued to exasperate the manager.
5. The persistent errors in the report only served to exasperate the already stressed supervisor.
6. Despite her attempts to stay calm, the disruptive students in her class were starting to exasperate her.

History and etymology of exasperate

The verb 'exasperate' has its etymology in Latin. It derives from the Latin word 'exasperare,' which is a combination of 'ex,' meaning 'thoroughly,' and 'asper,' meaning 'rough' or 'harsh.' Therefore, 'exasperate' etymologically signifies the act of 'thoroughly roughening' or 'intensely irritating.' In its modern usage, 'exasperate' accurately describes the action of irritating, annoying, or frustrating someone to a significant degree, often to the point of exasperation. The etymology of 'exasperate' reflects the idea of intensifying or heightening the feeling of irritation or frustration, emphasizing the depth of annoyance or exasperation experienced by the person affected.

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Further usage examples of exasperate

1. The numerous software updates began to exasperate the users, leading to a drop in satisfaction.
2. His refusal to take the situation seriously began to exasperate his colleagues.
3. The frequent network outages can exasperate even the most patient user.
4. The complex instructions on the form would exasperate anyone trying to fill it out quickly.
5. The traffic jams in the city center often exasperate the commuters during rush hour.
6. The team's slow progress continued to exasperate the project leader.
7. The cat's continuous meowing at night began to exasperate the neighbors.
8. The endless bureaucracy can exasperate any person trying to start a new business.
9. The strict rules in the school seem to exasperate some of the more rebellious students.
10. The player's constant rule-breaking only serves to exasperate the referee.
11. The lack of clear instructions in the manual started to exasperate the new employees.
12. It would exasperate her when he refused to pick up his clothes off the floor.
13. The flight delays at the airport continued to exasperate the weary travelers.
14. Her constant interruptions began to exasperate the speaker.
15. Traffic jams in the city can easily exasperate commuters.
16. It can exasperate you when technology doesn't cooperate.
17. Trying to fix the leaky faucet only served to exasperate him.
18. Long wait times at the doctor's office can exasperate patients.
19. His procrastination would often exasperate his coworkers.
20. Unexpected delays tend to exasperate travelers.
21. The constant noise from the construction site started to exasperate residents.
22. Misplaced keys can quickly exasperate anyone rushing out the door.
23. Repeatedly explaining the task seemed to exasperate the manager.
24. Their refusal to compromise began to exasperate the negotiation process.