Patience vs. Patients: What's the Difference?
The words patience and patients are homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Patience refers to the capacity to remain calm and not become annoyed when dealing with problems or difficult people. It is often associated with the ability to wait for something without getting upset. In contrast, patients is the plural form of 'patient,' describing individuals under medical care, typically in a hospital or clinic setting.
How do you use the word patience in a sentence?
The word patience is used to describe the quality of being patient—having the ability to endure waiting, delay, or irritation without becoming agitated or upset. It is commonly invoked to acknowledge the virtue of staying calm under pressure, and to encourage others to remain composed in the face of adversity.
Examples of patience in a sentence
- Her patience was truly tested when the flight was delayed for the third time.
- As a kindergarten teacher, he had an extraordinary amount of patience with his students.
- The long recovery process required more patience than she had ever mustered before.
How do you use the word patients in a sentence?
The word patients is used to refer to individuals who are receiving medical treatment or care. It is commonly used in healthcare settings, where it's crucial to discuss those who are ill or under medical supervision. This term highlights the human element within medicine, emphasizing the people being cared for by medical professionals.
Examples of patients in a sentence
- The nurse prepared the medication for her morning patients.
- During the health crisis, hospitals were filled beyond capacity with patients needing urgent care.
- The doctor's ability to empathize with his patients made him highly respected in his field.
Patience and patients definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Patience definition:
Patience (noun): The ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.
Patience parts of speech:
Patience pronunciation:
Patience is pronounced as /ˈpeɪ.ʃəns/.
Patients definition:
Patients (noun): People who are under medical treatment or in the care of a physician.
Patients parts of speech:
Patients pronunciation:
Patients is pronounced as /ˈpeɪ.ʃənts/.
Patience (noun): The ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.
Patience parts of speech:
- As a noun, patience stands alone: The patient teacher handled the disruptive class with grace and patience.
Patience pronunciation:
Patience is pronounced as /ˈpeɪ.ʃəns/.
Patients definition:
Patients (noun): People who are under medical treatment or in the care of a physician.
Patients parts of speech:
- As a noun in its plural form: The clinic was designed to offer a comfortable environment for its patients.
Patients pronunciation:
Patients is pronounced as /ˈpeɪ.ʃənts/.
Patience vs. patients in a nutshell
To summarize, patience denotes a person's ability to stay calm and tolerate delay or suffering without becoming upset. This is an intangible personal quality. 'Patients,' on the other hand, specifically refers to multiple people receiving medical care or treatment. While they are pronounced identically, these terms serve distinct roles in language—with patience representing a characteristic and patients indicating persons within a medical context.
Get AI Writing Assistance Wherever You Type
Make sure your vocabulary is on point and every punctuation mark is in the right place, no matter where you’re working. Grammarly works across more than 500,000 websites and apps so you can improve your writing without copying, pasting, or breaking focused.
More Commonly Confused Words
Interest piqued? Pore (not pour) over other commonly confused words to help your writing reach peak (not peek) performance.