patience

noun

pa·​tience ˈpā-shən(t)s How to pronounce patience (audio)
1
: the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient
2
chiefly British : solitaire sense 2

Examples of patience in a Sentence

To be a biographer is a somewhat peculiar endeavor. It seems to me it requires not only the tact, patience, and thoroughness of a scholar but also the stamina of a horse. Nancy Milford, Vanity Fair, August 2001
… in this time of bioethical conundrums, it is good to know that patience, good will, and personal morality will untie far more intellectual knots than the disarray of rancor, conflict, and special interests … Sherwin B. Nuland, New Republic, 13 Dec. 1999
Mind-numbing delays and irrelevant search results are enough to try the patience of the most saintly Web surfers. Neil Gross et al., Business Week, 14 June 1999
After a while, their ideological certitudes tried the patience of their own peoples … Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., New Yorker, 16 Nov. 1992
I don't have the patience to wait in line for hours just to buy a ticket. Investors need to have patience. The economy will improve soon. She treated her students with great patience and humor. I don't have the patience to do crossword puzzles.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That tech bro culture, which has captured Trump’s imagination, has little appetite for patience—an essential and necessary facet of the kind of fundamental research that ultimately fuels America’s science and technology engine. Michael S. Lubell, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2025 That can require patience and strategy, Eastwick said. Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025 This is drinking beautifully now, but those with patience can easily cellar it for the next 20 years. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2025 The question often spurs doctors to consider the situation with genuine patience and care. Angela Haupt, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for patience 

Word History

Etymology

see patient entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patience was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near patience

Cite this Entry

“Patience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patience. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

patience

noun
pa·​tience ˈpā-shən(t)s How to pronounce patience (audio)
: the quality or state of being patient

More from Merriam-Webster on patience

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!