patient 1 of 2

noun

ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
Definition of patientnext
as in case
an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment the nurse asked the patient to change into a paper gown

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patient

2 of 2

adjective

ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
1
as in stoic
accepting pains or hardships calmly or without complaint you were very patient about having to wait for me for so long

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in persistent
continuing despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement a patient effort to finish college despite the mounting debts

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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 patient
Noun
Experts say providers should raise perimenopause with patients in their 30s and 40s rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026 For younger women, the picture is less clear-cut, which is one reason experts say healthcare providers should proactively discuss perimenopause with patients in their 30s and 40s rather than waiting until symptoms become severe. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
Adjective
Finding opportunities Rieder, who also manages the iShares Flexible Income Active ETF (BINC) , advises staying conservative on interest rate exposure right now and being patient. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 23 July 2026 But their tales of fragile relationships, dead-end jobs, and mediocre friendships are fleshed out with patient details straight out of a Kelly Reichardt film. — Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for patient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patient
  1. case
  2. stoic
  3. persistent
  4. victim
  5. obedient
  6. insistent
  7. passive
  8. subordinate
Noun
  • Kappa Alpha Psi’s national governing documents explicitly prohibit hazing, and chapters have faced suspensions in prior cases, including a Miami University in Ohio chapter suspended through 2040 in 2025.
    — David Smiley, Miami Herald, 28 July 2026
  • Prolactin is another pituitary hormone, and elevated levels can point to a pituitary disorder or, in some cases, a tumor.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of case
Adjective
  • Her unvarnished, heartsore turn as a woman unprepared to be the face of a movement, but shouldering that responsibility anyway, gives this otherwise stoic affair a nervy, sensitive spine.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • But the action is nullified by the fact that Ono assumes the stoic posture of the Buddhist monks seen in the news at the time setting themselves aflame in protest of the Vietnam War.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of stoic
Adjective
  • Core inflation gives economists and policymakers a good sense of how persistent price pressures may be, and to gauge Americans’ view of prices, officials look at market and survey-based measures of inflation expectations.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • Powered by a turboprop engine producing roughly 900 horsepower, it is designed for persistent operations across large theatres of war.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 July 2026
Definition of persistent
Noun
  • Jones said Velasquez and the victim were close friends and lived just a few miles apart.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Patel arrived in Jakarta shortly after talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet concerning joint efforts to combat international online scam operations that cheat victims out of billions of dollars annually.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of victim
Adjective
  • But Magdalen’s temporary embodiment of her sister’s demure, obedient nature does not temper her impulsive, dramatic tendencies—only the development of an empathetic, analytical intelligence can do that.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • Second, victims of higher taxes don’t stand still and get sheared like obedient sheep.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of obedient
Adjective
  • James Madison was insistent that Congress was the most important and powerful branch, especially the House, which was closest to the people and, being elected every two years, would infuse new blood and new ideas into Congress in perpetuity.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026
  • Frightening and insistent, impossible yet certain, a feeling more powerful than knowledge.
    — Emily Ruskovich, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of insistent
Adjective
  • Countering them requires passive and active acoustic sensing, signal processing, and rapid classification.
    — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
  • Unlike resilin in other insects, for which the protein typically acts as a passive energy storage system or exoskeleton protection, the resilin in these lake flies plays an active role in ensuring their air sacs don’t implode at depth.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 23 July 2026
Definition of passive
Adjective
  • The prosecutor noted Patten's cooperation, his good behavior while free awaiting his sentencing, and his subordinate role to the Cokers in the scheme.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
  • Executive Vulnerability How a leader reacts in the five-second window after being corrected by a subordinate determines the future of that company’s innovation.
    — William DeCourcy, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of subordinate

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Cite this Entry

“Patient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patient. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on patient

Nglish: Translation of patient for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about patient

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