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impatient Definition

im·pa·tient (impā′s̸hənt)

adjective

feeling or showing a lack of patience; specif.,

  1. feeling or showing annoyance because of delay, opposition, etc.
  2. feeling or showing restless eagerness to do something, go somewhere, etc.

Etymology: ME impacient < OFr < L impatiens: see in- & patient

impatient Related Forms

im·pa·tiently adverb

impatient Idioms

impatient of

not willing to bear or tolerate

impatient Synonyms

impatient

modif.

  1. Irritable

    excitable, quick-tempered, fretful; see bothered, excitable, irritable, troubled 1.

  2. Restless

    anxious, eager, feverish; see eager, excitable, restless 1.

impatient Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • grow: But the people grew impatient along the way, 5 and they began to murmur against God and Moses.
  • become: Jerry agreed he'd probably become impatient with drunks who just wouldn't listen.
  • get: I was getting a bit impatient for some company.

Adjective modifier

little: I'd be a little impatient to get to " Trust " .

Modifies a noun

  • waiting: I was getting impatient waiting, with a couple of boats roped to my bow, and shouted.
  • gesture: Then he gave a deep groan and with an impatient gesture he put out the light.
  • driver: I have been knocked off my bike twice by impatient drivers within 6 months.

Modifying Another Word

  • terribly: She bent her adorable head, chose a chocolate and offered it to him. [ Illustration: " Are you not terribly impatient?
  • increasingly: Hans maintains a taut composure in the face of Freisler's increasingly impatient questioning.
  • too: I was too impatient to embrace her to stay to be asked twice; I ran to greet her.
  • rather: Perhaps my pressing publc speaking deadline has made me rather impatient to find black and white answers where they don't necessarily exist.
  • extremely: Four deep at the bar with forty five percent of the clientele being rude and extremely impatient.

Noun used with modifier

bit: I was getting a bit impatient for some company.

Infinitive complement

  • wait: And if you're too impatient to wait the five seconds the full electric movement takes, you can pull the doors manually.
  • hear: Why are you thus impatient to hear me speak?

Used with adjective complement

  • grow: To begin with I grew impatient at how long it often took to get through to the children.
  • become: Some newly qualified teachers are now becoming quite impatient with the older teachers.
  • seem: He seems slightly impatient with extended discussion of his theory, and wants to talks about what effect it has had.
  • get: Do not get impatient: at some point you will find the right person.

Preposition: of

delay: He is always in a hurry and impatient of delays.

Browse dictionary entries near impatient

  1. impatiens
  2. impatience
  3. impasto
  4. impaste
  5. impassive
  6. impassioned
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  8. impassible
  9. impasse
  10. impassable
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