patience

noun

pa·​tience ˈpā-shən(t)s 

1

: the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient: such as

a

: the ability to accept obstacles or delays in a calm and self-possessed way

The longest lines are always for the barbecue, and those with the patience to wait will find out why.

—Danielle Ames

b

: the ability to act with calm or restraint under provocation or strain

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

I don't have much patience for that kind of behavior.

The team continues to play poorly, and many fans are starting to lose patience.

c

: the ability to persevere over a long period of time despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity

I don't have the patience to do crossword puzzles.

… a complex bureaucracy that requires endless patience to navigate.

—Tara Henley

2

chiefly British : solitaire sense 2

Synonyms of patience

• tolerance
• willingness

Examples of patience in a Sentence

To be a biographer is a somewhat peculiar endeavor. It seems to me it requires not only the tact, patience, and thoroughness of a scholar but also the stamina of a horse. —Nancy Milford, Vanity Fair, August 2001

… in this time of bioethical conundrums, it is good to know that patience, good will, and personal morality will untie far more intellectual knots than the disarray of rancor, conflict, and special interests … —Sherwin B. Nuland, New Republic, 13 Dec. 1999

Mind-numbing delays and irrelevant search results are enough to try the patience of the most saintly Web surfers. —Neil Gross et al., Business Week, 14 June 1999

After a while, their ideological certitudes tried the patience of their own peoples … —Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., New Yorker, 16 Nov. 1992

I don't have the patience to wait in line for hours just to buy a ticket.

Investors need to have patience. The economy will improve soon.

She treated her students with great patience and humor.

I don't have the patience to do crossword puzzles.

Recent Examples on the Web

Gettysburg, by contrast, is a colossal achievement, a rich and impactful film that unfurls with the patience and depth of a great novel. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026

Show a little patience and gratitude. —Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026

Considering that gravitational waves were first predicted by Einstein in 1915 and the first successful detection was only made 100 years later in 2015, hunting these ripples in spacetime has always been a waiting game requiring a lot of patience. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026

There tends to be more patience shown towards attacking players who are struggling with their performances. —Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see patient entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing patience

• at the end of one's patience
• have the patience of a saint
• reached the end of my patience
• run out of patience
• stretch someone's patience
• the patience of a saint
• try someone's patience

Rhymes for patience

• impatience

Kids Definition

patience

noun

pa·​tience ˈpā-shən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being patient