Exasperate for Dummies

Hey there! So, the word "exasperate" means to make someone really, really frustrated or annoyed. Let's say you're trying to build something with Legos, and every time you almost finish it, it falls apart. That would probably exasperate you, right? It's like, "Why won't this work? Argh!" It's like when you're trying to untangle a really stubborn knot in a necklace, and no matter what you do, it just gets worse. That feeling of being so fed up and irritated—that's exasperation. So, when something or someone exasperates you, it means they're making you feel really irritated and frustrated.

And as for the longer explanation, "exasperate" can also mean to make a situation or a problem worse. Like if you spill a glass of milk, and then you accidentally knock over the box of cereal, and then your dog comes running through and tracks milk all over the floor—then that situation is just getting more and more exasperating. It's like everything is just piling on top of each other, making the problem worse and worse. So, "exasperate" can mean both making someone feel really frustrated and making a problem even more difficult. Does that make sense to you? Let me know if you have any more questions!