exasperate
ig-ZAS-puh-rayt
/ɪɡˈzæs.pə.reɪt/
To irritate or frustrate someone intensely.
Implies a total loss of patience. It’s the feeling of being at your 'wit's end' because of someone's behavior.
The story behind the word. From 'ex-' (thoroughly) and 'asper' (rough). To exasperate someone is to 'thoroughly roughen' their mood. It's the same root found in 'asperity' (harshness of tone).
Word relationships
- infuriate: Infuriate means to make someone extremely angry; exasperate is more about the exhaustion of patience.
- delight: Delight means to please someone greatly.
- gratify: Gratify means to give someone pleasure or satisfaction.
Commonly confused with
- exacerbate: Exacerbate is to make a situation worse; exasperate is to make a person frustrated.
Word family
- exasperation (noun): A feeling of intense irritation or annoyance.
Collocations
- exasperated sigh
- utterly exasperated
- exasperate beyond measure
Example sentences
- "The child's constant refusal to eat his vegetables began to exasperate his parents." Parenting
- "He was exasperated by the slow progress of the negotiations." Literature
Memory hook
Exasperate sounds like 'exhausted' and 'separate'. You are so frustrated you want to exhaust your patience and separate yourself from the person. Exasperate: Rough up their patience.
When not to use
Do not use for physical pain or situational worsening (use aggravate or exacerbate). It is strictly for human frustration.
Fun facts
- The root 'asper' is also the source of the name for the 'asp' snake, though the connection is likely through the 'rough' scales or the 'harsh' venom.
Related words
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