frustrated

frustrated — adjective

1. feeling upset, annoyed, or discouraged because you keep meeting obstacles that s

1.形容詞B1
釋義

feeling upset, annoyed, or discouraged because you keep meeting obstacles that stop you from reaching a goal or getting what you want

例句

Eitan felt frustrated after spending three hours trying to fix his laptop.

frustrated + after + -ing clause

The slow internet connection made Megan feel frustrated with her online course.

feel frustrated with [something]

同義詞
  • annoyed

    milder; caused by minor irritations rather than blocked goals

  • discouraged

    emphasises loss of hope or confidence after repeated failure

  • exasperated

    stronger; implies extreme irritation from persistent problems

反義詞
  • satisfied

    feeling that your goals or desires have been met

  • fulfilled

    having achieved what you set out to do

文法句型

frustrated + with/by/at + noun phrase

frustrated + that-clause

用法筆記

Frequently used with prepositions 'with' (directed at a situation or person) or 'by' (introducing the obstacle). Typically describes a temporary emotional state caused by a specific situation, not a permanent personality trait.

常見錯誤

❌I was frustrated at him for being late.
✅I was annoyed at him for being late.
💡'frustrated' describes the feeling when your own goals are blocked, not anger directed at another person's behaviour.

2. wanting very much to work in a particular profession but never having the chance

2.形容詞B2
釋義

wanting very much to work in a particular profession but never having the chance to succeed in it

例句

Vivek always described himself as a frustrated musician who ended up working in a bank.

frustrated + career noun (musician)

The novel tells the story of a frustrated actor who never got a leading role.

同義詞
  • would-be

    less emotional; simply describes someone who aspires to be something

  • aspiring

    positive tone; emphasises ambition rather than failure

  • unsuccessful

    broader; describes any kind of failure, not just career

反義詞

文法句型

frustrated + [career noun]

用法筆記

Always used directly before a noun that names a career or role — for example, frustrated artist, frustrated politician, frustrated teacher. It cannot stand alone or after a linking verb in this sense.

常見錯誤

❌He is a frustrated person.
✅He is a frustrated poet who works as a waiter.
💡This sense requires a specific career noun; without it, the meaning shifts to sense 1.

3. used to describe a feeling, desire, or need that a person is unable to show or e

3.形容詞B2
釋義

used to describe a feeling, desire, or need that a person is unable to show or express openly

例句

Élise could sense the frustrated anger in her brother's silence after the argument.

frustrated + emotion noun (anger)

The painting seemed to express a deep frustrated longing for a lost home.

同義詞
  • suppressed

    strongly implies active effort to hold back; more clinical in tone

  • repressed

    psychological term; suggests the emotion is pushed out of conscious awareness

  • unexpressed

    neutral; simply states the emotion was not shown

反義詞

文法句型

frustrated + [abstract emotion noun]

用法筆記

Only sense in which 'frustrated' modifies an abstract emotion or desire rather than describing a person's state. The emotion described is blocked from being shown, not just felt intensely.

常見錯誤

❌She felt frustrated anger.
✅Her frustrated anger was visible in her clenched fists.
💡In this sense, frustrated comes before the emotion noun; 'feel frustrated anger' mixes sense 1 and sense 3 awkwardly.

4. feeling unhappy or dissatisfied because your physical or romantic needs in a rel

4.形容詞C1
釋義

feeling unhappy or dissatisfied because your physical or romantic needs in a relationship are not being met

例句

Asher felt frustrated in his relationship and wanted to talk about it openly.

frustrated in [relationship context]

The film explores what happens when a couple grows sexually frustrated over many years.

同義詞
  • unsatisfied

    broader; can apply to any unmet need, not only sexual

  • unfulfilled

    more general; describes overall lack of satisfaction in a relationship

反義詞
  • satisfied

    having one's physical and emotional needs met

文法句型

sexually frustrated

frustrated + [spouse or partner noun]

用法筆記

Often appears in the fixed phrase 'sexually frustrated'. This sense is more direct and intimate than the others; it is generally used in informal or therapeutic contexts rather than formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌The frustrated couple went to marriage counselling.' (ambiguous — which sense?)
✅The sexually frustrated couple went to marriage counselling.
💡Without 'sexually', readers will likely interpret this as sense 1 (annoyed by life problems).