Sentence:  The very firmness of her convictions and logical clearness of her arguments captivated and stimulated him to make greater efforts ; usually , this is most <WSD>exasperating</WSD> to men , who expect every woman to verify their preconceived notions concerning her sex , and when she does not , immediately condemn her as eccentric and unwomanly . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  making worse