impatience
B2Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
A restless feeling of irritation or frustration when having to wait or deal with delay.
A strong, often restless desire for something to happen or change, leading to irritation with obstacles or slowness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a non-count noun. Can denote a temporary state ('her impatience grew') or a character trait ('known for his impatience').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Identical core connotations. Slightly more associated with negative criticism in formal British contexts.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
impatience with [someone/something]impatience at [delay/slowness]impatience for [change/result]impatience to [do something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the end of one's patience (related)”
- “champing at the bit”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Impatience with lengthy decision-making processes can hinder project development.
Academic
The researcher's impatience for conclusive results is understandable but must be managed.
Everyday
She tapped her foot with impatience while waiting for the bus.
Technical
Not typically used in specialised technical domains; a psychological or behavioural term.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was impatient to begin the match.
- They grew impatient with the continual delays.
American English
- She got impatient waiting in the long line.
- Don't be impatient with the learning process.
adverb
British English
- He waited impatiently for the test results.
- She glanced impatiently at her watch.
American English
- The crowd impatiently awaited the announcement.
- He paced impatiently around the room.
adjective
British English
- His impatient tapping on the table was distracting.
- She gave an impatient sigh.
American English
- An impatient driver honked his horn.
- She had an impatient expression.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children showed their impatience before the party.
- His impatience made him leave the queue.
- I could hear the impatience in her voice.
- Her impatience to start her new job was obvious.
- Growing public impatience with the government's policies led to protests.
- He tried to hide his impatience at the slow pace of negotiations.
- The director's creative impatience often clashed with the methodical pace of the production team.
- A certain intellectual impatience characterised her approach to conventional theories.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IM-PATIENCE = I'M out of PATIENCE.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPATIENCE IS A HEATING FLUID (simmering with impatience, boiling over), IMPATIENCE IS A BURDEN (weighed down by impatience).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'нетерпение' for future anticipation; English 'impatience' is negative, while 'нетерпение' can be positive ('с нетерпением жду'). Use 'look forward to' for positive anticipation.
- Do not confuse with 'impatiently', which is the adverb form.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'impatience' to mean eagerness in a purely positive sense (incorrect: *'I have an impatience for your visit').
- Misspelling as 'inpatience'.
- Using as a countable noun (incorrect: *'I felt an impatience').
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition most commonly follows 'impatience' when referring to the cause?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, as it denotes irritation and frustration. However, in contexts like innovation or reform, it can be framed more positively as a driving force for change, though the core feeling remains restless frustration.
Almost never. It is a non-count (uncountable) noun. You would not say 'an impatience' but rather 'a feeling of impatience' or 'his impatience'.
Impatience is specifically related to the passage of time, waiting, or slowness. Frustration is broader, arising from any thwarted goal or inability to change a situation. Impatience often leads to frustration.
No. The related verb is 'to be impatient' or the phrasal expression 'to lose patience'. There is no direct single verb 'to impatiate'.
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