2 syllables: frus, trate. Stress on frus.
/ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/
frustrate is pronounced /ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/. It has two syllables (frus-trate), with the stress on "frus". Frustrate is a verb meaning to exasperate or impede progress, causing annoyance or discouragement. It can also mean to thwart someone’s plans or efforts. In addition, it describes causing feelings of irritation or defeat by blocking or frustrating a hoped-for outcome. The word often conveys a sense of thwarted motivation and unresolved tension in pursuit of a goal.
Say it backFrustrate is a verb meaning to exasperate or impede progress, causing annoyance or discouragement. It can also mean to thwart someone’s plans or efforts. In addition, it describes causing feelings of irritation or defeat by blocking or frustrating a hoped-for outcome. The word often conveys a sense of thwarted motivation and unresolved tension in pursuit of a goal.
"The constant delays began to frustrate the project team."
"She tried to finish the task, but the repetitive errors frustrated her."
"His attempts to negotiate were frustrated by the lack of cooperation."
Pronounce as FRUS-trate in many contexts, with primary stress on FRUS- and a shorter secondary stress on -trate: US /ˈfrʌsˌtreɪt/ and UK /ˈfrʌs.treɪt/. Your mouth starts with an open-mid back rounded vowel /ʌ/ as in 'strut', then a clear /ɪ/ or /ə/ onset of the second syllable, followed by /treɪt/ with a long a sound. Keep the r-softened second syllable, and ensure the /t/ is released crisply at the end. Audio references: [Pronunciation apps or dictionaries], listen for the /ˈfrʌs/ onset and the /treɪt/ tail.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the second syllable so it sounds like /-træt/ or /-trat/ instead of /-treɪt/, leading to 'frus-trat'. Correction: emphasize the /eɪ/ diphthong in /treɪt/. 2) Misplacing stress as frUS-trate or frus-TRATE; correct is FRUS-trate with primary stress on the first syllable. 3) Dropping the final /t/ or voicing after the /t/; ensure final /t/ is crisp and released. Use slow practice with a modal verb like 'to frustrate' to anchor the confident /treɪt/ ending.
US: ˈfrʌsˌtreɪt with a pronounced /ɹ/ and a clear /treɪt/. UK: ˈfrʌs.trate with possibly a flatter rhythm and a slightly trilled or tapped 'r' depending on speaker; stress similar on FRUS-. AU: ˈfrəsˌtreɪt or ˈfrʌsˌtreɪt, often with a looser vowel in the first syllable. In all accents, the second syllable carries the /eɪ/ vowel; rhoticity affects whether /r/ is pronounced in postvocalic position. Listen for the diphthong /eɪ/ and crisp /t/ release.
The difficulty lies in the transition between the syllables: the first syllable /ˈfrʌs/ ends with an /s/ cluster that leads into /treɪt/, where the /r/ and the /eɪ/ combine in a short interval. People often mispronounce as frUS-trat or frus-TRATE due to misplacing stress or softening the /eɪ/. Maintaining the /ˌtreɪ/ sequence with a clear /t/ release and proper vowel height helps reduce mispronunciation.
The word contains a subtle cluster: /sd r/ across syllables, and the /ˈfrʌs/ onset followed by /treɪt/. There are no silent letters; the 'e' in -ate is part of the vowel /eɪ/ rather than a silent indicator. The challenge is ensuring the /r/ is not intrusive in American non-rhotic contexts, and maintaining the diphthong /eɪ/ across dialects. Focus on the two-syllable rhythm and the final /t/.
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US: rhotic /ɹ/, more pronounced /r/; first syllable /ˈfrʌs/ with emphasized /ʌ/. UK: non-rhotic in some speakers; RP-like /ˈfrʌs.treɪt/ may have weaker linking, keep /t/ crisp. AU: vowel quality closer to /ə/ or /ʌ/ depending on speaker; more relaxed final consonant; still keep /treɪt/ intact with /eɪ/.
Frustrate comes from Middle French frustrer, from Latin frustrare, meaning to deceive or cheat, literally to deprive or rob. The root frust- derives from frustrare, which means to deceive, frustrate, or to deprive. The form entered English via Old French and Latin, with early attestations in the 16th century. Initially, frustrate conveyed the sense of deceiving or depriving of what one sought, evolving to include the modern sense of blocking progress or thwarting goals. By the 19th century, it settled into common usage in both legal and everyday contexts, describing impediment, disappointment, and irritation caused by failed plans. As usage broadened, the verb often carries a nuanced emotional tone: the irritation of blocked intentions rather than mere obstruction. The word’s two most common pronunciations in contemporary English stress the second syllable: frUS-trate (US) or FRUS-trate (UK), though both forms are widely understood. Its noun form frustration is widely used but frustrate remains a versatile verb used in both personal and professional settings.
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Words that rhyme with "frustrate"
-te? sounds
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