What does it mean to exasperate someone?

To exasperate someone means to annoy them thoroughly. This term conveys a sense of frustration or irritation, indicating that the individual is pushed to their limits by repeated actions or behaviors that are bothersome or troublesome. The intensity of annoyance implied in the word "exasperate" suggests that it goes beyond simple annoyance, often involving a degree of escalation that can lead to significant frustration or anger. Understanding this nuance highlights how the feeling might accumulate over time, making the term particularly vivid when describing interactions that become increasingly intolerable.

The other choices do not capture this sense of irritation. For instance, making someone happy, supporting them, or calming their fears are all positive interactions that do not relate to annoyance or frustration in any capacity. Therefore, they fundamentally contradict the definition of exasperate.