patiently

adverb

pa·​tient·​ly ˈpā-shənt-lē How to pronounce patiently (audio)
: in a patient manner : with calmness or without complaint or hurry in spite of delays, difficulties, tedium, etc.
The bank customers waited patiently for the next teller.
She very patiently answered all our questions.
It wasn't until I was in my late teens, when my brother Caleb patiently taught me to play racquetball, that I realized I was coordinated enough to participate in athletic endeavors.—Rhoda Janzen

Examples of patiently in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Why saving airline miles forever could cost you Katy shared another piece of advice that might surprise anyone who's been patiently saving miles for years. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Mechanics clad in black waited patiently for the team’s first pit stops. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026 Darius Garland, microphone in hand, waited patiently at midcourt to speak before the Clippers tipped off their season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 While Parton worked and the two chatted, Paisley recalls Dean waiting patiently in the car. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patiently

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of patiently was in the 14th century

Rhymes for patiently

See All Rhymes for patiently

Browse Nearby Words

patientless
patiently
patient zero
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Patiently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patiently. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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