exasperate

/ɪɡˈzæspəreɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [ɪɡzˈæspɚˌet] /ɪɡˈzæspəreɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [ɪɡzˈæspɚˌet] /ig-ˈza-spə-ˌrāt/ (ame, mw)

exasperate — verb

  • exasperate,present simple I / you / we / they
  • exasperatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • exasperates,he / she / it
  • exasperateshe / she / it
  • exasperated,past simple
  • exasperatedpast simple
  • exasperating,-ing form
  • exasperating-ing form

1. to cause someone to feel extremely angry and frustrated, especially because of r

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to cause someone to feel extremely angry and frustrated, especially because of repeated problems that keep happening and cannot be fixed or stopped.

例句

Sofia's constant lateness exasperated her manager, who had warned her three times already.

exasperated + by repeated behaviour with prior warning

The repeated computer crashes exasperated Eli, who still had not saved his research paper.

同義詞
  • infuriate

    stronger — implies making someone extremely angry, not just frustrated

  • irritate

    milder — describes a less intense, often physical annoyance

  • frustrate

    overlaps closely but focuses more on the feeling of being blocked, without the same intensity of anger

反義詞
  • soothe

    to calm someone down; the opposite of causing irritation

  • please

    to make someone happy, the opposite of annoying them

文法句型

exasperate + [person]

[situation/fact] + exasperates + [person]

it exasperates + [person] + that-clause

[person] + be exasperated + by/with + [cause]

用法筆記

Common in the passive voice ('be exasperated by/with') when describing how someone feels. The active voice focuses on the cause or situation that provokes the feeling. Distinguish from sense 2 (AGGRAVATE), where the object is a problem, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌The situation exasperated my skin condition.
✅The situation aggravated my skin condition.
💡Use sense 2 (AGGRAVATE) when the object is an illness or problem, not a person.
❌I exasperated at the slow service.
✅I was exasperated by the slow service.
💡The verb is transitive and needs an object; use the passive form with 'by' to describe how you felt.

2. to make an illness, argument, or difficult situation more serious or painful tha

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make an illness, argument, or difficult situation more serious or painful than it already is.

例句

The doctor warned that scratching would only exasperate the itchy rash on Ryan's arm.

exasperate + medical condition (formal register)

Iker's angry reply exasperated the conflict between the two families on the street.

同義詞
  • aggravate

    the most common near-synonym; slightly less formal and more frequent

  • worsen

    more direct and less formal; suitable for everyday speech

  • compound

    implies adding a new problem on top of an existing one

反義詞
  • improve

    to make a situation better

  • alleviate

    to reduce the severity of a problem or pain

文法句型

exasperate + [problem/situation/illness]

用法筆記

This sense is less common in everyday speech and has a more formal tone. The object is always a problem, illness, or conflict — never a person. For the 'make a person annoyed' meaning, see sense 1 (ANNOY INTENSELY).

常見錯誤

❌His rudeness exasperated the situation.
✅His rudeness worsened the situation.
💡'Exasperate' in this sense is formal; in casual conversation, 'worsen' or 'aggravate' are more natural choices.

exasperate — adjective