Meaning & use

impatience

noun·Academic

A lack of patience shown through irritation or eagerness for something to happen sooner.

See it in a sentence

His impatience grew steadily as the line at the bank barely moved.

She tapped her foot with impatience while waiting for the exam results.

A note on using this word

Impatience can stem from frustration with delay or from excited anticipation, so context clarifies which feeling is meant.

Words with a similar meaning

restlessnessirritabilityeagerness

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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