Exasperates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Causes someone to become very annoyed or frustrated by repeated problems or difficulties
2. Makes a person feel increasingly impatient or upset due to ongoing aggravations
3. Leads to strong feelings of irritation or anger because of persistent annoyances

Etymology: "Exasperates" is the third-person singular form of "exasperate," so it describes what the verb does when someone or something repeatedly grates on another person. The verb itself was first recorded in English in 1534, borrowed directly from the Latin "exasperatus," the past participle of "exasperare," which combines "ex-" (here meaning "thoroughly") with "asper," meaning "rough." The Latin root carries the original picture: to exasperate something was to make it rough, roughen a surface or sharpen a harsh edge. English kept that sense of making things harsh or raw, and the emotional meaning of provoking irritation grew out of it, as if a person's temper were being scraped until it was sore. The word also has a playful side in its history. Early writers punned on "exasperate" and "aspirate," a term for a breathed "h" sound, since the two words look and sound alike, and the wordplay shows how closely the language of roughness and the language of breath sat together in English.

Synonyms: irritates, annoys, vexes, infuriates, provokes

Antonyms: calms, soothes, comforts