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patience
noun
pa·tience
ˈpā-shən(t)s
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
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
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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
Phrases Containing patience
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
: the quality or state of being patient
More from Merriam-Webster on patience
Nglish: Translation of patience for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of patience for Arabic Speakers
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