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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
The return-to-play process won’t look the same for everyone, but there are a few key tenets: track your pain, practice patience, fuel smartly, avoid the particularly insidious comparison trap, and celebrate your new wins.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 7 Jan. 2025
Real-time viewers have had their patience strained; future binge-watchers will barely notice a blip.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
Ultimately, that summit, and a subsequent meeting in Vietnam, did not lead to a breakthrough because Trump lacked the patience to persevere with his own strategy and failed to set realistic goals.
—Bilahari Kausikan, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
Most of the time, patience is key for goalies, but Thompson is actually making the first move himself.
—Jesse Granger, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for patience
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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 18 Jan. 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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