Meaning & use

patient

adjective·Everyday

Able to wait or work through difficulty without becoming annoyed.

See it in a sentence

Our patient teacher explained the problem a third time.

Please be patient while the clay dries completely.

A note on using this word

Use 'patient with' a person and 'patient while' waiting for something. Patience is the related noun for this quality.

Words with a similar meaning

tolerantuncomplaining

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

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

A person receiving care or treatment from a health professional.

The dentist greeted the next patient in the waiting room.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “patient”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.