Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act or an instance of exasperating.
  • noun The state of being exasperated; frustrated annoyance.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of exasperating, or the state of being exasperated; irritation; provocation.
  • noun Increase of violence or malignity; exacerbation, as of a disease.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of exasperating or the state of being exasperated; irritation; keen or bitter anger.
  • noun Increase of violence or malignity; aggravation; exacerbation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act of exasperating or the state of being exasperated; irritation; keen or bitter anger.
  • noun Increase of violence or malignity; aggravation; exacerbation.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an exasperated feeling of annoyance
  • noun actions that cause great irritation (or even anger)

Etymologies

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Examples

  • I think the novel is flawed, but worth reading, while [a novelist and a book editor who had both read the first 40 pages or so and quit in exasperation] had not been able to get past Pessl's style, which does try way too hard to be inventive and clever.

    Style in Fiction 2009

  • "Who has said he shall go from thee?" he demanded sharply, half in exasperation, half in impotence.

    IN THE FOREST OF THE NORTH 2010

  • After a fair amount of “get back, stay back”, nothing was working so in exasperation – whilst waiting for his back-up to arrive – shouted “Fuck Off!”.

    Police Use Naughty Word *SHOCK* « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

  • I had several goes at writing it on the lap top – to no avail – and finally it flowed through me when in exasperation I picked up a pen to jot down a few notes.

    Longhand « Write Anything 2009

  • "I'm not here to talk about Obama, I'm here to talk about me," she eventually said in exasperation, as they continued to pester her.

    Toni Morrison Inducted Into France's Legion Of Honor AP 2010

  • Sometimes these terms are endearments and sometimes they are uttered in exasperation - as in "Baby Cakes, you're killing me here ..." when he has been waiting for me in the car while I brush my hair one last time.

    ame soeur - French Word-A-Day 2009

  • He took one look at it, placed his hand on his face in exasperation and called me a smartass.

    Bind Paper Without Staples Using A Clever Fold | Lifehacker Australia 2010

  • I heard a joke onthe Freethought Radio podcast that makes me chuckle and throw up my hands in exasperation at the same time.

    Please God, help me find a parking spot! « Biodork 2010

  • "You heard that"! says Audrey in exasperation, "they ask themselves the same question every morning and I am sure that tomorrow it will be Francoise who will ask Lucienne if she needs to water her plants or not!"

    anodin - French Word-A-Day 2009

  • "I'm not here to talk about Obama, I'm here to talk about me," she eventually said in exasperation, as they continued to pester her.

    Toni Morrison Inducted Into France's Legion Of Honor AP 2010

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