What does "patience" mean?
The quality of being patient.
Patience
/ˈpeɪʃəns/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The quality of being patient.
- Grammar: patience is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: forbearance, acceptance, application, assiduity.
- Useful contrasts: acute anger, fiery energy, goddamed.
- Usage evidence: I am losing my patience with you.
How to use "patience"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "patience" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "patience" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "patience" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "patience" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "patience" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "forbearance" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "patience", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The quality of being patient. uncountable, usually
"Musical perfection requires practice and a lot of patience."
- 2 a card game played by one person wordnet
- 3 Any of various card games that can be played by one person. uncountable, usually
- 4 good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name from English.
"Meg had named it Patience. "But why?" he had exclaimed, not liking the name at all. "Patience is my favourite virtue," she had replied, "and we can call her Patty for short.""
Example
"I am losing my patience with you."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "patience"?
Common synonyms include: forbearance, acceptance, application, assiduity, assiduousness, ataraxia.
How do you use "patience" in a sentence?
I am losing my patience with you.
How do you pronounce "patience"?
Pronounced /ˈpeɪʃəns/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Inherited from Middle English pacience, from Old French pacience (modern French patience), from Latin patientia (“suffering; endurance, patience”), from patiens, present active participle of patior (“suffer, experience, wait”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hurt”). Displaced native Old English ġeþyld.
Etymology 2
From patience, a virtue name first used by Puritans in the sixteenth century.