Frustrated means feeling upset, annoyed, or discouraged because something isn't working the way you want it to, or because you can't do or achieve something despite trying. When you're frustrated, you feel a mix of anger and helplessness, like you're stuck and can't make progress.

You might feel frustrated when you've studied hard for a spelling bee but keep stumbling over the same tricky words. A basketball player feels frustrated when she practices her free throws for weeks but still misses them during the game. Frustration builds when you're working on a difficult math problem and can't figure out the solution, no matter how many times you try different approaches.

Frustration is that specific feeling when effort isn't leading to results. It's different from simple disappointment (which comes from something not happening) or anger (which might have a clear target). Frustration sits in between: you want to succeed, you're trying to succeed, but obstacles keep blocking your way.

People also use frustrate as a verb to describe causing this feeling in someone else. A complicated video game level might frustrate players, or a younger sibling might frustrate you by interrupting your homework repeatedly.