In life, patience is a virtue often celebrated and necessary. This blog post explores 20 idioms that beautifully encapsulate the essence of patience, each with a concise meaning and a practical example to help you integrate them into everyday conversations.
Idioms That Describe Patience
1. Patience is a virtue
Meaning: Patience leads to better outcomes.
Example: “Remember, patience is a virtue at auctions.”
2. Slow and steady wins the race
Meaning: Consistent, patient effort often leads to success.
Example: “He invested wisely, slow and steady wins the race.”
3. Good things come to those who wait
Meaning: Patience is often rewarded.
Example: “Good things come to those who wait for sales.”
4. Rome wasn’t built in a day
Meaning: Significant achievements take time and patience.
Example: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor is skill.”
5. Keep your shirt on
Meaning: Be patient, don’t be hasty.
Example: “Keep your shirt on, they’ll call us soon.”
6. Hold your horses
Meaning: Wait a moment, slow down.
Example: “Hold your horses, let’s think this through.”
7. Cool your jets
Meaning: Calm down and be patient.
Example: “Cool your jets, the results will come.”
8. Bide your time
Meaning: Wait patiently for the right moment.
Example: “She bided her time before making an offer.”
9. All in good time
Meaning: Everything will happen when it’s supposed to.
Example: “All in good time, you’ll understand why.”
10. Time will tell
Meaning: The outcome will be revealed in the future.
Example: “Time will tell if our efforts pay off.”
11. Hang in there
Meaning: Remain persistent and patient.
Example: “Hang in there, the wait is almost over.”
12. At a snail’s pace
Meaning: Moving very slowly, requiring patience.
Example: “The project moves at a snail’s pace.”
13. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Be patient and don’t assume early success.
Example: “Wait, don’t count your chickens yet.”
14. Patience wears thin
Meaning: Running out of patience.
Example: “Her patience wears thin with delays.”
15. A watched pot never boils
Meaning: Time feels slower when you’re waiting.
Example: “A watched pot never boils, stop checking.”
16. The patience of Job
Meaning: Having extreme patience.
Example: “He has the patience of Job with kids.”
17. Let the dust settle
Meaning: Wait for things to calm down.
Example: “Let the dust settle before deciding.”
18. Let the grass grow under your feet
Meaning: Delaying or waiting unnecessarily.
Example: “Don’t let the grass grow, act now!”
19. As patient as a saint
Meaning: Very patient.
Example: “She’s as patient as a saint with errors.”
20. To play the waiting game
Meaning: To stay patient until the opportunity arises.
Example: “We’re playing the waiting game with stocks.”
