impatient

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce impatient (audio)
Definition of impatientnext
1
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest she was impatient to give her presentation before the landmark commission

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complaining
unable or unwilling to endure those airline passengers who are so impatient of delays, even for the most obvious of reasons

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impatient Designing semiconductors isn’t for the impatient, inexperienced or short of cash. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 The experiences left me too impatient to wait for the next total solar eclipse in the continental United States in far-off 2044. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026 Initially seen as overly meticulous or impatient, these leaders frequently impart invaluable standards like precision and discipline, which become evident only when one steps into a leadership role. — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 In a later conversation in that same episode, the women’s roles are switched — Rhaenyra is no longer the impatient interrogator but an aggrieved ruler who has no idea how to govern; Alicent is the soothing confidant offering wisdom to welcome ears. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impatient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impatient
  1. excited
  2. complaining
  3. enthusiastic
  4. intolerant
  5. avid
  6. eager
  7. anxious
  8. hungry
Adjective
  • This offseason, that group added a second-round pick to the group in Max Klare and got excited about a Year-2 breakout for Terrance Ferguson.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In the kitchen, Shannon cries because Vicki, who was so excited about this trip, has basically gone nonverbal.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of complaining
Adjective
  • Democrats are especially enthusiastic about Iowa, which hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in 20 years.
    — Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • However, not all critics were enthusiastic about the film itself.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • Law student Gemma Jay (Abbie Hern), recruited by the nonsense-intolerant Coach Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds), also joins the squad.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The association naturally angered the intolerant left, including one X user whose response has since gone viral.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of intolerant
Adjective
  • An avid collector of Old Hollywood artifacts, in 2014, Johns acquired a box at auction filled with autographed photographs—including one personally inscribed by Marilyn Monroe—and documents connected to celebrity facialist Madame Renna.
    — Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
  • An avid book collector who scours bookshops for special editions like others hunt rare vinyl, Mazzotti is emphatic about their emotional magnetism, noting a rising appetite from creative agencies, artists, and families reimagining heirlooms.
    — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of avid
Adjective
  • Scavullo was dead, however, and nobody seemed eager to help her.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • There will always be meaningful stories to tell, people compelled to tell them, and audiences eager to experience them.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • That feels very much in tune with the anxious characters Eisenberg has played over the course of his acting career, but this whole directing thing is working out nicely for him, too.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Nelson remembers hushing her foster children back to sleep that night and calling 911, anxious for an end to those sleepless nights.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Like City last year, Arsenal are hungry after a seven-year title drought.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • People used to large portions can initially feel hungrier, Young said.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hungry

Browse Nearby Words

impatience
impatient
impatiently
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impatient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impatient. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All