Frustration: quick facts
Frustration is the unpleasant feeling that arises when progress toward a goal is blocked or thwarted. It sits within the anger family but is specifically tied to obstruction — a stuck task, a delay, or a repeated…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Anger
Typical triggers
Blocked goals, obstacles, delays, repeated failure, things not working
How it's expressed
Tense jaw, furrowed brow, sighing, clenched hands, sharp movements
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions; Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview; American Psychological Association — Anger. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.