When you do something impatiently, you're doing it in a way that shows you don't want to wait any longer. You might tap your foot impatiently while your brother takes forever tying his shoes, or sigh impatiently when your computer takes too long to start up.

Impatience often shows up in your body language and voice. You might drum your fingers on your desk, check the clock repeatedly, or speak in a sharp, rushed tone. When someone asks impatiently, “Are we there yet?” for the tenth time on a road trip, you can hear the frustration in their voice.

Everyone feels impatient sometimes, especially when something important is delayed or when you're excited about what comes next. You might wait impatiently for your birthday, fidget impatiently through a long assembly, or refresh your email impatiently while waiting for news about whether you made the team.

The opposite would be doing something patiently, with calm acceptance that some things take time.