patient
adjective
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Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous
4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5a : able or willing to bear —used with of
b : susceptible, admitting patient of one interpretation
patient
noun
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Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment cancer patients psychiatric patients
b : the recipient of any of various personal services
2 : one that is acted upon are agents as well as patients and observers in the world— C. H. Whiteley
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Synonyms & Antonyms for patient
Synonyms: Adjective
forbearing, long-suffering, stoic (or stoical), tolerant, uncomplaining
Synonyms: Noun
Antonyms: Adjective
complaining, fed up, impatient, kvetching, kvetchy, protesting
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Examples of patient in a Sentence
Adjective
To pry apart violent Islamic radicals, the United States has to become knowledgeable about internal cleavages and be patient in exploiting them. — Samantha Power, New York Times Book Review, 29 July 2007 I pack them into the compartment for a visit, pack till it's full far beyond capacity and weep with them, share with them my scanty bit of good fortune, tell them I care, tell them be patient, tell them I'm on their side … — John Edgar Wideman, Harper's, December 2003 There's no sense being patient with people who make you wait, because they'll only make you wait longer the next time. — Andrew A. Rooney, And More by Andy Rooney, (1979) 1982 I hate having to stand in long lines. I'm just not very patient. The teacher treated her students in a patient and understanding way. “Aren't you finished yet?” “Be patient. I'll be done soon.” Proofreading requires patient attention to detail. They put in years of patient labor on the project.Noun
Several patients were waiting to see the doctor. the nurse asked the patient to change into a paper gown
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
There is severe depression across much of the patient population. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "The Heroes of Science Who Are Unlocking the Brain," 3 Oct. 2018 Such a long time frame favors projects where investors need to be patient anyway. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "Opportunity zones: vital community development tool or tax windfall for the rich?," 3 Oct. 2018 Other child life specialists at the Comprehensive Cancer Center have signed up to serve as foster parents, and there are plans to add three or four more dogs to provide pediatric patient care and support. — Hannah Holzer, sacbee, "Four-legged friend named Huggie helps young patients cope at UC Davis Cancer Center," 19 June 2018 In addition to patient advocacy, recent research on NCGS has helped legitimize the condition from within medicine. — Carolyn Todd, Allure, "How to Tell If You Have Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity," 21 May 2018 That's part of the reason the Indians will be patient with him at the plate. — Terry Pluto, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Indians: Tyler Naquin's rise, worries elsewhere -- Terry Pluto," 13 May 2018 If 2015 was the year of contouring fever, then Mario Dedivanovic was patient zero. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Kim Kardashian West’s Makeup Artist on Drugstore Beauty and the Best Acne Treatment," 20 Apr. 2018 Be patient and prudent and use a quality pole spear and Zookeeper Lionfish Containment Unit, and you won’t get stung. — Mark Rogers, USA TODAY, "Lionfish in the Caribbean: Destructive menace, delicious dinner," 3 July 2018 The family wishes to thank the staff at Apple Rehab of Avon for their patient and thoughtful care of Bill in his final weeks. — Hartford Courant, courant.com, "William E. Dowden DDS," 21 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Quicker Recoveries European researchers looked at outcomes of knee-replacement surgery in a trial with 50 patients. — Cheryl Stritzel Mccarthy, WSJ, "What You Need to Do Before Having Knee Surgery," 20 Nov. 2018 Nothing changes until Trusts consent and undertake any necessary engagement, including with patients. — James Vincent, The Verge, "Privacy advocates sound the alarm after Google grabs DeepMind UK health app," 14 Nov. 2018 And according to a press release from the brand, the ColourPop x Make-A-Wish Foundation's collection was created specifically with cancer patients in mind. — Zoë Weiner, Teen Vogue, "ColourPop Collaborated with Make-A-Wish to Create Makeup for Cancer Patients," 5 Oct. 2018 And doctors at urgent care centers may not have the necessary relationships with patients to talk them out of wanting an antibiotic. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Doctors fear urgent care centers are wildly overusing antibiotics—for profit," 17 July 2018 There are also several randomized controlled trials suggesting that yoga may improve quality of life for diabetes patients, reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, and even help people manage high blood pressure. — Eliza Barclay, Vox, "The growth of yoga and meditation in the US since 2012 is remarkable," 11 Nov. 2018 Introduced 25 years ago to great fanfare, the drugs work for many patients, but not all. — Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, "Vertigo, Panic and Trouble Breathing: What's Going On Here?," 19 Oct. 2018 For many potential black patients, having someone who understands the nuances of how racial identity factors into mental health means a safe space where one’s voice is finally heard. — Vanessa Willhoughby, Allure, "The Reality of Navigating the Mental Health System as a Black Woman," 13 Oct. 2018 Purdue sought the lawsuit's dismissal, arguing the state is trying to hold the company liable while disregarding factors such as a doctor's judgment and a patient's decision on how to use the drug. — Author: Becky Bohrer, Anchorage Daily News, "Judge allows Alaska’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturer to proceed," 13 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'patient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for patient
patient
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
: able to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time or when dealing with problems or difficult people
: done in a careful way over a long period of time without hurrying
patient
noun
English Language Learners Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
: a person who receives medical care or treatment
See the full definition for patient in the English Language Learners Dictionary
patient
adjective
\
Kids Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
: able to or showing the ability to remain calm when dealing with a difficult or annoying situation, task, or person a patient response a patient teacher
patient
nounKids Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
: a person under medical care or treatment
patient
noun
\
Medical Definition of patient
1 : a sick individual especially when awaiting or under the care and treatment of a physician or surgeon the hospital is equipped to handle 500 patients
2 : a client for medical service (as of a physician or dentist) a good practice with a large number of patients
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