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

• agog
• antsy
• anxious
• ardent
• athirst
• avid
• crazy
• desirous
• eager
• enthused
• enthusiastic
• excited
• geeked [slang]
• great
• greedy
• gung ho
• hepped up
• hopped-up
• hot
• hungry
• juiced
• keen
• nuts
• pumped
• raring
• solicitous
• stoked [slang]
• thirsty
• voracious
• wild

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

In a world that increasingly feels impatient and impersonal, that matters. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025

The Court’s Republican majority has appeared quite impatient to remake the law to be much more favorable to the religious right. —Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025

The impatient travelers lucky enough to be stuck near the front of the cue may U-turn in hopes of finding another route around the barricade. —Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2025

Sources say the pair have lost the confidence of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, whose impatient management style is focused on the bottom line. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 28 Mar. 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