impatiently

impatiently — adverb

1. feeling or showing irritation when made to wait, or when someone performs a task

1.adverbB2
Definition

feeling or showing irritation when made to wait, or when someone performs a task too slowly or carelessly.

Example

Pim waited impatiently for the bus, tapping his foot on the pavement.

adverb before prepositional phrase: wait impatiently for

The receptionist sighed impatiently when the caller repeated the same question for the third time.

Common collocations
  • wait impatiently for
  • sigh impatiently
  • tap impatiently
  • shake one's head impatiently
Synonyms
  • irritably

    focuses more on the feeling of annoyance itself, while impatiently focuses on the reaction to waiting

  • testily

    suggests a sharper, more angry tone; less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • patiently

    the direct opposite — without annoyance while waiting

Usage Note

Commonly combines with verbs of waiting or showing irritation: sigh impatiently, tap impatiently, wait impatiently. Can appear before or after the verb it modifies.

Common Mistakes

She impatiently waited the bus.
She waited impatiently for the bus.
impatiently is an adverb modifying a verb; it does not affect the verb's preposition.

2. with a strong, eager desire for something to happen or arrive soon, finding the

2.adverbB2
Definition

with a strong, eager desire for something to happen or arrive soon, finding the wait difficult to bear.

Example

The children waited impatiently for the cake to be brought to the table.

same verb+adverb structure but with eager tone: waited impatiently for

Rodrigo checked his inbox impatiently, hoping for news about his job application.

Common collocations
  • wait impatiently for
  • lean forward impatiently
  • check impatiently
Synonyms
  • eagerly

    more neutral, less emotional — can be used in formal and informal contexts equally

  • anxiously

    adds a feeling of worry about the outcome, whereas impatiently (sense 2) only expresses eagerness

  • restlessly

    describes physical fidgeting rather than the inner feeling of wanting something to happen

Antonyms
  • patiently

    waiting calmly without urgent desire for something to start

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: in this sense there is no anger or criticism — only strong eagerness. The context (children at a party, fans at a concert, athletes before a race) makes the meaning clear.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

All four adverbs describe a state of wanting something to happen soon, but the intensity and emotional colour differ. Eagerly is the most neutral and positive — you can use it in nearly any situation ('she eagerly opened the letter'). Anxiously adds worry or nervousness about the outcome ('he anxiously checked the test results'). Restlessly focuses on physical movement, not inner desire ('the audience shifted restlessly in their seats'). Impatiently (sense 2) sits between eagerly and anxiously — it expresses strong eagerness with a hint of frustration that things are not happening fast enough. For example: 'The children waited impatiently for the movie to start' suggests excitement and mild frustration, whereas 'the children waited eagerly' would sound purely positive and patient.

eagerly ↗anxiously ↗restlessly ↗impatiently ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'impatient' (from Latin impatient-em, combining in- 'not' + patiens 'enduring, suffering') plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'. The sense of 'not bearing delay' has been present since the word entered English in the 14th century.