# patience

/ˈpeɪʃəns/ (US) · /pˈeɪʃəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/patience
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. waiting calmly

noun · CEFR B1

the ability to stay calm when you are waiting for something or dealing with a problem.

For teachers: the capacity to endure delay, difficulty, or annoyance without provocation or loss of temper.

- You need a lot of patience to teach young children how to read.
- The negotiator's patience was tested as the discussions dragged on for hours without any sign of a compromise.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'have', 'lose', or 'run out of'.

### 2. card game

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

any card game that you play by yourself.

For teachers: any of various card games played by a single person, typically involving the sorting of cards into a specific order.

- He sat by the fire playing a game of patience to pass the time.
- While waiting for the storm to pass, she occupied herself with several rounds of patience on the small wooden table.

Usage: Usually uncountable; referred to as 'solitaire' in American English.

## Examples

- You need a lot of patience to teach young children.
- The long queue at the post office tested her patience, but she remained calm and waited her turn.
- Developing mastery in any complex craft requires a rare combination of technical discipline and the quiet patience to endure years of repetitive practice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.