Entry Word: patient

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 accepting pains or hardships calmly or without complaint <you were very patient about having to wait for me for so long>

Synonyms forbearing, long-suffering, stoic (or stoical), tolerant, uncomplaining

Related Words lenient; acquiescent, passive, resigned, unresistant, unresisting, yielding; agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, conformist, docile, law-abiding, obedient, submissive, subordinate, tractable, willing; slavish, subservient; amiable, obliging; collected, composed; constrained, contained, curbed, inhibited, repressed, restrained; disciplined, self-contained, self-controlled; apathetic, uncaring, unresponsive

Near Antonyms bored, tired, weary; defiant, resistant; contrary, disobedient, insubordinate, intractable, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly

Antonyms complaining, fed up, impatient, protesting

2 continuing despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement <a patient effort to finish college> — see persistent