Word
impatient
Phoneticsim·pa·tient, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪmˈpeɪʃənt/
UK/ɪmpˈeɪʃənt/
Definitions
01annoyed by waiting
B1 · Intermediate
adj. feeling annoyed or irritable because you have to wait for something or someone.
adj. restless and intolerant of delays or opposition; easily provoked by the slow pace of others.
“The driver behind me became impatient and started honking his horn.”
“The manager grew increasingly impatient with the technical team as the software launch was delayed for the third consecutive week.”
Usage
Commonly followed by the prepositions 'with' (for people) or 'at' (for situations).
Pitfall
He is impatient about the bus.
He is impatient for the bus.
Use 'impatient for' when waiting for a thing, or 'impatient with' when annoyed by a person.
02eager to start
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very excited and wanting to do something immediately.
adj. showing an eager or anxious desire for something to happen or to begin a task.
Español:impaciente
“The children were impatient to open their birthday presents.”
“After months of theoretical training, the recruits were impatient to begin their first practical field exercises.”
Usage
Often followed by an infinitive verb ('impatient to do') or the preposition 'for'.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “impatient” in context.
Verb
01. become impatient
“Customers often become impatient if they have to wait in line for more than ten minutes.”
verb + adj
02. grow impatient with the process
“Investors began to grow impatient with the process of obtaining new permits.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
Adjective
03. impatient to start
“The young athletes were impatient to start the race after months of training.”
adj + infinitive
04. impatient with the delay
“Commuters grew increasingly impatient with the delay as the train sat motionless on the tracks.”
adj + prep + noun
05. visibly impatient
“The manager became visibly impatient when the meeting lasted longer than scheduled.”
adv + adj
Preposition
06. in an impatient manner
“She tapped her pen on the desk in an impatient manner while waiting for the file to download.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“He said customers are "impatient to see the benefits" of higher bills.” “Putin appeared impatient, tapping his feet as he listened.” Etymology
From Old French impacient (modern French impatient), from Latin impatiēns. By surface analysis, im- + patient.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/impatient
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0