frustrate
Dash someone's hopes
To frustrate is to prevent someone from achieving what they want, or to thwart a plan or effort: Weather frustrated our attempts to reach the summit.
The feeling that results is also frustration—the state of being blocked or stymied: I'm frustrated by the lack of progress.
Things that cause this feeling are frustrating: a frustrating day, frustrating bureaucracy.
The word implies repeated or ongoing obstruction rather than a single defeat.
Solid mass, or impede
stymie · hamper · prevent · derail · sabotage · undermine · obstruct · inhibit
Failure to satisfy expectations
- dismayDistressed loss of courage
- disillusionmentBitter loss of faith
- dissatisfactionState of being displeased
- discontentUnhappiness with circumstances
unfulfilled · crestfallen · disheartened · deflated · dashed hopes · anticlimax · regret · bitterness
Obstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- roadblockObstruction across a road
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
stumbling block · hurdle · setback · snag · complication · difficulty · constraint · limitation
Mild anger or inflammation
- exasperationIntense weary annoyance
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- vexationFrustrated annoyance
- agitationDisturbed, restless state
impatience · displeasure · resentment · indignation · pique · chagrin · bother · provocation
Victory over another
- setbackReverse in progress
- debacleSudden, complete failure
- fiascoHumiliating public failure
- flopComplete commercial failure
misfire · blunder · bust · washout · breakdown · malfunction · unsuccessful · stalled
Acceptance of inevitable failure
- hopelessnessState without hope
- despondencyProfound loss of hope
- disheartenmentLoss of hope or confidence
- demoralizationLoss of confidence and hope
despair · dejection · resignation · dispiritedness · downheartedness · pessimism · gloom · weariness
block
Solid mass, or impede
foil · stymie · hamper · prevent · derail · sabotage · undermine · obstruct · inhibit · circumvent
letdown
Failure to satisfy expectations
- dismayDistressed loss of courage
- disillusionmentBitter loss of faith
- dissatisfactionState of being displeased
discontent · unfulfilled · crestfallen · disheartened · deflated · dashed hopes · anticlimax · regret · bitterness · disenchantment
barrier
Obstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- roadblockObstruction across a road
bottleneck · stumbling block · hurdle · setback · snag · complication · difficulty · constraint · limitation · gridlock
irritation
Mild anger or inflammation
- exasperationIntense weary annoyance
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- vexationFrustrated annoyance
agitation · impatience · displeasure · resentment · indignation · pique · chagrin · bother · provocation · testiness
defeat
Victory over another
flop · misfire · blunder · bust · washout · breakdown · malfunction · unsuccessful · stalled · derailed
defeatism
Acceptance of inevitable failure
- hopelessnessState without hope
- despondencyProfound loss of hope
- disheartenmentLoss of hope or confidence
demoralization · despair · dejection · resignation · dispiritedness · downheartedness · pessimism · gloom · weariness · apathy
- obstructblock, halt, stop, impede, hinder
- burdensburden, load, onus, obligations, weight
- opposeoppose, resist, defy, reject, refuse
- rejectionrejection, reject, denial, refuse, refusal
- discouraging actionsdeter, dissuade, daunt, dishearten, demoralize
- intrusionsintrusion, intrude, intruder, intruding, barging in
- sexual frustrationUnrelieved erotic tension
- sexually frustratedUnmet physical desire
frustrated, frustration, frustrating, frustrates, frustrations, unfrustrated