a wave of frustration

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a wave of frustration" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a sudden and overwhelming feeling of frustration that someone experiences, often in response to a specific situation. Example: "As the project deadline approached, a wave of frustration washed over the team as they realized they were behind schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

As a result, talks broke down in 2000 in a wave of frustration and mutual recrimination.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The past week has seen a wave of frustration, however, with fans voicing their discontent during last Wednesday's 1-1 friendrawdrawiththethe Czech Republic in Dublin.

BBC

The replacements worked the first three weeks of games, triggering a wave of frustration that threatened to disrupt the rest of the season.

Huffington Post

As expected, a wave of frustration swept the Twittersphere once viewers found themselves locked out with nothing to do but read a book or spend time with their loved ones.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

If some of the presidential candidates pound away at that fact, it is possible to foresee a wave of public frustration and anger leading to defeat of the TPP in the Congress".

Huffington Post

More than seven months after he announced with trademark showmanship and self-assurance that he was running for the White House, Donald Trump has been carried to the Republicans' pole position on a wave of and frustration and disgruntlement.

Independent

For the first time in this nation's 20-year history, opposition candidates contested all 120 parliamentary seats that are up for election, riding a wave of voter frustration and anxiety.

The New York Times

For much of this year, it felt as though America was riding a wave of public frustration at policing in this country and was on the verge of seriously addressing the issue.

Vice

Sadly, the overall effect of "State 194" is a fresh wave of frustration and discouragement over a heartbreaking and seemingly insurmountable political standoff and its human toll.

The New York Times

Hundreds of thousands of evacuees, now safe from immediate danger, faced a second wave of frustration over prolonged delays in finding assistance and navigating a maze of federal and local programs.

The New York Times

A wave of dissatisfaction and frustration has broken out in reaction to the Abbey's announcement of its programme to commemorate the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a wave of frustration" to vividly describe a sudden and widespread feeling of frustration, especially when referring to a collective reaction to a specific event or situation.

Common error

Avoid using "a wave of frustration" when a milder term like "annoyance" or "disappointment" is more appropriate. The phrase implies a significant level of negative emotion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a wave of frustration" functions as a noun phrase that typically acts as a subject or object within a sentence. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct. The examples show it describing a collective emotional response.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

12%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a wave of frustration" is a grammatically sound and vivid phrase used to describe a sudden and widespread feeling of frustration. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and effectively conveys a collective emotional response, although it is relatively rare in occurrence. The primary contexts for its use are News & Media and Encyclopedias, suggesting its suitability for describing public sentiment and historical events. When using the phrase, it's important to ensure the intensity of the emotion matches the context, avoiding its use when a milder term would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a surge of annoyance

Replaces "frustration" with a milder term, "annoyance", indicating a lesser degree of negative emotion.

a tide of discontent

Substitutes "frustration" with "discontent", highlighting dissatisfaction and unrest.

a groundswell of irritation

Emphasizes the gradual build-up of the feeling, using "irritation" as a slightly weaker synonym for "frustration".

an outbreak of exasperation

Focuses on the sudden and intense nature of the feeling, implying a loss of patience.

a feeling of helplessness

Shifts the focus to the emotional state resulting from frustration, rather than the frustration itself.

a rising sense of futility

Highlights the perception that efforts are pointless, a common consequence of frustration.

growing dissatisfaction

Focuses on the increase of dissatisfaction as a result of frustration, without using wave imagery.

mounting resentment

Emphasizes the building anger and bitterness associated with prolonged frustration.

a period of disillusionment

Highlights the loss of faith or hope due to unmet expectations and frustration.

widespread discontent

Highlights the fact that the wave of frustration can affect a large number of people.

FAQs

How can I use "a wave of frustration" in a sentence?

You can use "a wave of frustration" to describe a sudden and widespread feeling of frustration, like "A wave of frustration swept through the team after the project was delayed again".

What can I say instead of "a wave of frustration"?

You can use alternatives like "a surge of annoyance", "a tide of discontent", or "growing dissatisfaction" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a wave of frustrations"?

While grammatically plausible, "a wave of frustrations" is less common. "A wave of frustration", which treats frustration as a collective, is the more standard and widely used phrasing.

What's the difference between "a wave of frustration" and "a sign of frustration"?

"A wave of frustration" describes an overwhelming and widespread feeling, while "a sign of frustration" refers to an indication or symptom of someone's frustration, it does not need to be an overwhelming feeling.