impatient

adjective

im·​pa·​tient (ˌ)im-ˈpā-shənt 

1

a

: not patient : restless or short of temper especially under irritation, delay, or opposition

b

: intolerant sense 1

impatient of delay

2

: prompted or marked by impatience

an impatient reply

3

: eagerly desirous : anxious

impatient to get home

impatiently adverb

Synonyms

• excited
• enthusiastic
• avid
• eager
• anxious
• hungry
• ardent

Examples of impatient in a Sentence

After months of delays, customers are becoming impatient.

Customers have grown impatient with the repeated delays.

“Aren't you ready yet?” “Don't be so impatient. There's no need to hurry.”

She was impatient to leave.

Recent Examples on the Web

As Pietro becomes more impatient with Gatti, hearing about Felice’s losing streak in his nightly phone calls home, Felice is prompted into his first, necessary act of rebellion against his father’s loving but stifling authority. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025

With the elder Thompson out the door, the turnaround gets even tougher, and fans likely even more impatient. —Molly Geary, Sportico.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Company leaders can get impatient waiting for experiments to generate answers. —Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

His tone had become impatient and critical. —Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English impacient, from Anglo-French impacient, from Latin impatient-, impatiens, from in- + patient-, patiens patient

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for impatient

• inpatient
• outpatient
• patient

Kids Definition

impatient

adjective

im·​pa·​tient (ˈ)im-ˈpā-shənt 

1

: not patient

an impatient disposition

2

: showing or coming from impatience

an impatient answer

3

: restless and eager

impatient to get going

impatiently adverb