impatient
/ɪmˈpeɪʃ(ə)nt
/adjective
1Having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked: an impatient motorist blaring his horn she can be impatient with people who don’t see things her way...
- Suddenly you feel irritated with others and impatient with your own inability to do things as well or as quickly as you hoped.
- He quickly grew impatient with it, though he could not speak to Isobel of why.
- Last week's conflict was provoked by the arrogance of a Prime Minister impatient with the parliamentary process.
Synonyms
irritated, annoyed, angry, testy, tetchy, snappy, cross, crabby, moody, grumpy, querulous, fretful, peevish, peeved, piqued, discontented, displeased, disgruntled;
intolerant, short-tempered, quick-tempered;
abrupt, curt, brusque, terse, short
informal aggravated, grouchy
British informal narked, narky, ratty, eggy, shirty
1.1 (impatient of) Intolerant of: a man impatient of bureaucracy...
- Impatient for progress and impatient of toffs, we just have no sympathy for the fact that they can't get along with the world as it is changing.
2Restlessly eager: they are impatient for change [with infinitive]: he was impatient to be on his way...
- But I am still impatient for a medal and having missed out on competing in the individual competition this time I really want to get one in the relay.
- Sometimes I wish they could stay kids forever and at others I'm impatient for them to grow up and venture out into the world so I can see what they make of their lives.
- Therefore, although impatient for the morning, I slept soundly and had no need of cheering dreams.
Synonyms
restless, restive, agitated, nervous, anxious, ill at ease, fretful, edgy, jumpy, jittery, worked up, keyed up;
British nervy
informal twitchy, uptight
anxious, eager, keen, avid, desirous, yearning, longing, aching
informal itching, dying, raring, gagging, straining at the leash
Origin
Late Middle English (in the senses 'lacking patience' and 'unbearable'): via Old French from Latin impatient- 'not bearing, impatient', from in- 'not' + pati 'suffer, bear'.