impatient

adjective

im·​pa·​tient (ˌ)im-ˈpā-shənt 

1

a

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

grew impatient waiting for their friends

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 of impatient

• 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

There were cartoon beavers everywhere, brisket sandwiches far better than any gas station should be able to produce, and a bar of jerky (and a wall of jerky next to it for the impatient or antisocial). —Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026

Giving this much power to women hopefully filters out the worst, impatient creeps. —Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026

Aries is pioneering, courageous and impatient to start something, while Neptune dissolves the boundaries between the physical and spiritual, heightening our sensitivity and connection to the divine. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026

Those operators are right to be impatient. —Irfan Khan, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

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