impatiently

/ɪmˈpeɪʃntli/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpeɪʃntli/ (ame, ipa)

impatiently — adverb

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

1.副詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • patiently

    the direct opposite — without annoyance while waiting

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • patiently

    waiting calmly without urgent desire for something to start

用法筆記

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.