impatient

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Unable to wait calmly, or quickly irritated when things are slow or someone fails to keep up.

   Grammar: Used after be or before a noun: she gets impatient, an impatient driver.

   Patterns

   • be impatient with someone
   • be impatient for something

   He grew impatient while waiting for his order.

   She was impatient with the slow computer.

   An impatient driver honked at the bus.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Eager to do something or for something to happen soon.

   Grammar: Used with to or for: impatient to leave.

   Patterns

   • be impatient to do something
   • be impatient for something

   The children were impatient to open their presents.

   We were impatient for the results.

   He felt impatient to start his new job.

Word forms

Common combinations

impatient with

The manager was impatient with excuses.

impatient for

The fans were impatient for the game to begin.

impatient to

She was impatient to see the results.

grow impatient

The crowd began to grow impatient.

impatient gesture

He made an impatient gesture with his hand.

Synonyms and how they differ

restless

Restless focuses on being unable to stay still, while impatient focuses on the wish for something to hurry.

eager

Eager is positive anticipation, whereas impatient often includes irritation.

edgy

Edgy suggests nervous tension, which is different from impatient.

short-tempered

Short-tempered means quick to anger in general, not just when waiting.

Opposites

Word family

impatience noun

lack of patience

impatiently adverb

in an impatient way

patient adjective

able to wait calmly

patience noun

the ability to wait calmly

Commonly confused: impatient or impertinent?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “impatient”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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