patient
adjective
\
Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
patient
noun
\
Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
Keep scrolling for more
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
Visit the Thesaurus for More
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
Read More Charlotte hospital giant plans to slash labor costs across the region, documents show Atrium has repeatedly said such efforts are designed to grow services for patients, reduce patient costs or improve care. — Deon Roberts, charlotteobserver, "As nearly 100 doctors abandon Atrium Health, some experts see the start of a trend | Charlotte Observer," 25 May 2018 Be patient, work hard & consistently, have faith in your writing. — Jordan Culver, Pro Soccer USA, "Orlando City winger Justin Meram speaks out about fan criticism, struggles on pitch," 28 June 2018 Now, signs the Federal Reserve will be patient in raising interest rates, along with stronger-than-expected corporate earnings and thawing global trade tensions, have helped reassure investors a U.S. recession isn’t looming. — Jessica Menton, WSJ, "Transports Are Rallying but Aren’t Yet Sending ‘An All Clear’ on Economy," 11 Feb. 2019 Most advocacy groups are trying to be patient, chalking up the delays to the inevitable inertia of a giant bureaucracy forced to change. — Dave Philipps, BostonGlobe.com, "Instead of a ban, transgender military recruits hit red tape," 6 July 2018 Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, who was sitting just a few rows behind the Rockets bench, has told Evans to be patient. — Scott Bordow, azcentral, "Former Suns' coach Triano confident Booker can handle responsibility of big money deal," 6 July 2018 Notice: The service is still a little hectic, so be patient and allow plenty of time. — Bud Kennedy, star-telegram, "More than chicken-and-waffles at new TCU-area restaurant," 18 June 2018 By the sounds of it, viewers will have to be just a bit more patient. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Tori Roloff Just Revealed When the New Season of 'Little People, Big World' Will Return," 2 Jan. 2019 But not 3ve; the hackers here were far more patient. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "How 3ve’s BGP hijackers eluded the Internet—and made $29M," 21 Dec. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Years ago, Rabin’s father told her a story about a patient of his who came in for a regular eye exam. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "This New Startup Wants to Bring Eye Care to the Forefront of Wellness Culture," 5 Apr. 2019 Eli Lilly said the price it was paid for its Humalog insulin averaged $135 a patient a month in 2018, down slightly from the 2014 average. — Charley Grant, WSJ, "Squeeze Looks More Likely for Drug Middlemen," 25 Mar. 2019 For the patient antiterrorist Not jumping on any of this week’s releases? — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Hollow Knight gets a sequel, Neill Blomkamp makes a live-action Anthem trailer," 15 Feb. 2019 One of the recipients of the royal bouquets were pediatric cancer patients at the Ronald McDonald House. — Vogue, "Meghan Markle’s Baby Shower Gift Bags Reportedly Contained Some Serious Swag," 28 Feb. 2019 Neurologists on the front lines have felt powerless, watching their patients disappear into the sinkhole of forgetfulness. — Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, "A New Treatment for Alzheimer's? It Starts With Lifestyle," 16 Nov. 2018 The Flachs had been patients of Kaiser Permanente since January. — Alexandria Hein, Fox News, "Wimbledon champ Ken Flach's widow speaks out on tennis great's sepsis death," 25 Sep. 2018 This little hero from @voicesofhopecc was a patient of mine at CHOC Hospital. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'America's Got Talent' Star Michael Ketterer Has an INCREDIBLE Connection to Voices of Hope," 6 Sep. 2018 Amenities that create a healthy work environment and promote a culture of wellness—something nurses want to model for their patients—also decreases staff turnover, a big plus for health care institutions. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "How urban planners can promote health and wellness," 25 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.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for patient
patient
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
patient
noun
English Language Learners Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
See the full definition for patient in the English Language Learners Dictionary
patient
adjective
\
Kids Definition of patient
(Entry 1 of 2)
patient
nounKids Definition of patient (Entry 2 of 2)
patient
noun
\
Medical Definition of patient
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on patient
What made you want to look up patient? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words from Greek and Latin Quiz
-
- Which of the following months comes from a Latin word for “ten”?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
-
Words from Greek and Latin Quiz
Finally! A use for those SAT prep classes.
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing: Animal Edition
How many animals can you identify?
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
Take the quiz -
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share patient
Resources for patient