Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t wait any longer? Maybe you were in line for your favorite ride at a theme park or waiting for a pizza delivery that seemed to take forever. People in the USA often feel this way, and they use fun phrases called idioms to talk about impatience. Idioms are special expressions that mean more than just the words you hear. They help explain feelings in a more interesting way.
In this article, we’ll look at 35 idioms about impatience. These phrases are used by Americans every day to show they’re tired of waiting or want something to happen faster. You’ll learn what these idioms mean and see how to use them in real life. If you’ve ever tapped your foot or rolled your eyes while waiting, this article is for you. Let’s explore how people in the USA talk about being impatient.
Idioms About Impatience
1. Bite your nails
Meaning: To feel nervous or impatient while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• She was biting her nails waiting for her turn at the spelling bee.
• He bit his nails before the game started.
Other ways to say: Feel nervous, be on edge
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the habit of people chewing their nails when stressed.
Usage: Used when someone is anxious or can’t wait.
2. Watch the clock
Meaning: To keep checking the time because you want something to end.
Example Sentence:
• I kept watching the clock during class, waiting for lunch.
• He watched the clock all day before the field trip.
Other ways to say: Keep checking the time, get restless
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from workers looking at the clock near the end of a long shift.
Usage: Used when someone is eager for time to pass.
3. It’s like watching paint dry
Meaning: Something feels boring and very slow.
Example Sentence:
• Waiting for the slow computer was like watching paint dry.
• The movie was so slow, it felt like watching paint dry.
Other ways to say: Very boring, painfully slow
Fun Fact/Origin: People say this because waiting for paint to dry takes a long time and nothing happens.
Usage: Used when something feels slow and dull.
4. Climb the walls
Meaning: To feel very impatient or restless.
Example Sentence:
• She was climbing the walls waiting for the power to come back.
• The kids were climbing the walls during the long car ride.
Other ways to say: Feel stir-crazy, go nuts
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom compares impatience to feeling trapped like someone trying to escape.
Usage: Used when someone is very impatient and can’t sit still.
5. Can’t wait
Meaning: To feel excited or impatient about something coming soon.
Example Sentence:
• I can’t wait for summer break.
• She can’t wait to open her birthday presents.
Other ways to say: Really looking forward, excited
Fun Fact/Origin: A very common phrase in everyday American talk.
Usage: Used when someone is very eager for something.
6. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or anxious while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• He was on pins and needles before his name was called.
• We were on pins and needles waiting for the results.
Other ways to say: Nervous, edgy
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the tingly feeling you get when you’re anxious or your leg falls asleep.
Usage: Used during moments of tension or waiting.
7. Twiddle your thumbs
Meaning: To wait without having anything to do.
Example Sentence:
• I was just twiddling my thumbs at the doctor’s office.
• They twiddled their thumbs while waiting for the show.
Other ways to say: Sit around, do nothing
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase describes moving your thumbs in circles out of boredom.
Usage: Used when someone is stuck waiting with nothing to do.
8. Jump the gun
Meaning: To do something too soon, before the right time.
Example Sentence:
• He jumped the gun and answered before hearing the full question.
• Don’t jump the gun—wait for your turn.
Other ways to say: Act too early, rush ahead
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from races where runners start before the starter gun fires.
Usage: Used when someone acts before they should.
9. Drum your fingers
Meaning: To tap your fingers while waiting or feeling bored.
Example Sentence:
• She drummed her fingers while waiting for the microwave.
• He was drumming his fingers during the long speech.
Other ways to say: Tap impatiently, fidget
Fun Fact/Origin: People often do this without thinking when they feel restless.
Usage: Used when someone is showing boredom or impatience.
10. In a hurry
Meaning: Wanting to do something fast or not wanting to wait.
Example Sentence:
• We were in a hurry to get to the game.
• He was in a hurry and skipped breakfast.
Other ways to say: Rushed, moving quickly
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase is used often in daily life across the USA.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t want to slow down.
11. Can’t sit still
Meaning: Feeling too restless to stay in one place.
Example Sentence:
• He couldn’t sit still before his turn to perform.
• The kids couldn’t sit still during the long ceremony.
Other ways to say: Fidgety, jumpy
Fun Fact/Origin: Commonly used to describe young kids who are too excited.
Usage: Used when someone is too impatient to stay calm.
12. Waiting forever
Meaning: Feeling like something is taking a very long time.
Example Sentence:
• We waited forever for the bus.
• It felt like I was waiting forever for my food.
Other ways to say: Taking too long, a long wait
Fun Fact/Origin: Often said when the wait feels longer than it really is.
Usage: Used when someone is tired of waiting.
13. On edge
Meaning: Feeling tense, nervous, or annoyed while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• He was on edge waiting for his test results.
• Mom gets on edge in traffic.
Other ways to say: Nervous, easily annoyed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the feeling of being tense like standing on the edge of something.
Usage: Used when someone is losing patience or feels tense.
14. Bite the bullet
Meaning: To do something hard instead of waiting anymore.
Example Sentence:
• She bit the bullet and told the truth.
• He bit the bullet and asked for help.
Other ways to say: Get it over with, face it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old times when people bit a bullet during painful procedures.
Usage: Used when someone is tired of putting something off.
15. Can’t take it anymore
Meaning: Reaching the limit of your patience.
Example Sentence:
• I can’t take it anymore—I’m leaving.
• She shouted, “I can’t take it anymore!”
Other ways to say: Had enough, done waiting
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in American speech when someone is fed up.
Usage: Used when someone loses their patience.
16. Count the minutes
Meaning: Eagerly waiting for something to happen.
Example Sentence:
• He was counting the minutes until recess.
• I counted the minutes until the concert started.
Other ways to say: Wait eagerly, watch the clock
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom shows how slow time feels when you’re waiting.
Usage: Used when someone can’t wait for something exciting.
17. Raring to go
Meaning: Ready and eager to begin.
Example Sentence:
• The team was raring to go before the game.
• She was raring to go on the trip.
Other ways to say: Ready, excited to start
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from horses rearing up, ready to run.
Usage: Used when someone can’t wait to begin.
18. Get a move on
Meaning: Hurry up.
Example Sentence:
• Let’s get a move on—we’re late.
• Mom told us to get a move on before the show started.
Other ways to say: Hurry, pick up the pace
Fun Fact/Origin: A casual American way to say “go faster.”
Usage: Used when urging someone to go quicker.
19. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To feel surprised or very jumpy due to waiting.
Example Sentence:
• I nearly jumped out of my skin when the bell rang.
• She jumped out of her skin when the balloon popped.
Other ways to say: Get startled, be nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in America to describe sudden surprise or tension.
Usage: Used when someone is tense while waiting.
20. Pace the floor
Meaning: Walk back and forth while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• Dad paced the floor waiting for the phone call.
• She was pacing the floor before her test.
Other ways to say: Walk nervously, move around
Fun Fact/Origin: Common when people are anxious or bored.
Usage: Used when someone can’t stay still due to impatience.
21. Hold your horses
Meaning: Be patient or slow down.
Example Sentence:
• Hold your horses—we’re almost there.
• She told him to hold his horses before rushing in.
Other ways to say: Wait a minute, be patient
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the time of horse-drawn travel.
Usage: Used when someone is being too hasty.
22. At your wits’ end
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t handle waiting anymore.
Example Sentence:
• He was at his wits’ end waiting for an answer.
• She felt at her wits’ end with the long delay.
Other ways to say: Frustrated, out of patience
Fun Fact/Origin: “Wit” used to mean understanding or patience.
Usage: Used when someone is losing control due to waiting.
23. The last straw
Meaning: The final thing that makes someone lose patience.
Example Sentence:
• The wait was the last straw—I gave up.
• Missing the bus was the last straw for her.
Other ways to say: Final push, enough is enough
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of a straw breaking a camel’s back.
Usage: Used when someone can’t take any more.
24. Clocks move backward
Meaning: Time feels like it’s going very slowly.
Example Sentence:
• It felt like the clocks were moving backward during class.
• The last 10 minutes before lunch moved so slowly.
Other ways to say: Time drags, everything slows
Fun Fact/Origin: This isn’t about real clocks—it just feels that way.
Usage: Used when someone feels like time is dragging.
25. Stare into space
Meaning: To zone out while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• He stared into space waiting for his mom.
• She was so bored she just stared into space.
Other ways to say: Daydream, zone out
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in schools when kids are bored.
Usage: Used when someone is bored and waiting.
26. Ready to explode
Meaning: Feeling angry or stressed while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• He was ready to explode waiting in line.
• She looked like she might explode if it took any longer.
Other ways to say: About to lose it, super angry
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom compares feelings to a balloon about to pop.
Usage: Used when someone is losing patience quickly.
27. Like a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: Feeling jumpy and uncomfortable.
Example Sentence:
• He was like a cat on a hot tin roof during the wait.
• She paced around like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Other ways to say: Anxious, jittery
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how a cat would behave on hot metal.
Usage: Used when someone can’t stay still due to impatience.
28. Pulling your hair out
Meaning: Feeling stressed or annoyed while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• I was pulling my hair out waiting for the test results.
• She looked like she’d pull her hair out if the game didn’t start soon.
Other ways to say: Very frustrated, super stressed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a way people show strong stress.
Usage: Used when someone feels extreme impatience.
29. Clock-watcher
Meaning: Someone who always checks the time, waiting to leave.
Example Sentence:
• He’s a clock-watcher—always ready to go home.
• The kids became clock-watchers after recess was delayed.
Other ways to say: Impatient, always watching the time
Fun Fact/Origin: Commonly used in workplaces or classrooms.
Usage: Used to describe someone who’s always waiting for time to pass.
30. Can’t hold back
Meaning: Unable to wait or control yourself.
Example Sentence:
• I couldn’t hold back—I had to ask.
• He couldn’t hold back and opened his gift early.
Other ways to say: Couldn’t wait, too eager
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used with strong emotions or excitement.
Usage: Used when someone acts without waiting.
31. Tapping your foot
Meaning: A sign of impatience while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• She kept tapping her foot while waiting for her ride.
• He tapped his foot during the long speech.
Other ways to say: Fidgeting, showing boredom
Fun Fact/Origin: Tapping is a natural response when someone is restless.
Usage: Used to show impatience in body language.
32. Burn with impatience
Meaning: Feel strong impatience or eagerness.
Example Sentence:
• He burned with impatience while waiting for his turn.
• She burned with impatience to see her score.
Other ways to say: Boil inside, feel intense
Fun Fact/Origin: Compares impatience to heat or fire.
Usage: Used when someone feels strong eagerness.
33. Not a patient bone in their body
Meaning: Someone who is always impatient.
Example Sentence:
• He doesn’t have a patient bone in his body.
• She can’t sit still—there’s not a patient bone in her body.
Other ways to say: Always rushed, very impatient
Fun Fact/Origin: A playful way to describe impatience.
Usage: Used for people who never want to wait.
34. Can’t stand the wait
Meaning: Feel very uncomfortable while waiting.
Example Sentence:
• I can’t stand the wait—it’s taking too long.
• She couldn’t stand the wait before the call.
Other ways to say: Sick of waiting, had enough
Fun Fact/Origin: Commonly used in American daily speech.
Usage: Used when waiting feels too hard.
35. Like watching grass grow
Meaning: Something is so slow it feels painful to wait.
Example Sentence:
• The loading screen felt like watching grass grow.
• Waiting for the teacher felt like watching grass grow.
Other ways to say: Super boring, painfully slow
Fun Fact/Origin: Grass grows very slowly, so it’s used to show how boring something is.
Usage: Used when something feels slow and dull.
Quiz: Idioms About Impatience
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. Each question has only one correct choice.
Question Key
1. What does “twiddle your thumbs” mean?
a) To try something new
b) To wait without anything to do
c) To play video games
2. If someone is “on pins and needles,” how do they feel?
a) Excited and calm
b) Nervous and waiting for something
c) Happy and relaxed
3. What does “jump the gun” mean?
a) To be too slow
b) To do something before the right time
c) To follow the rules
4. What does “watch the clock” mean?
a) To tell the time out loud
b) To sleep through the day
c) To keep checking the time while waiting
5. If someone says “I can’t wait,” what do they mean?
a) They are scared
b) They are excited or impatient
c) They are unsure
6. What does it mean when you say “pace the floor”?
a) To lie down and rest
b) To sleep in your room
c) To walk back and forth while waiting
7. If someone is “burning with impatience,” what are they feeling?
a) Cold and tired
b) Very eager and restless
c) Confused and lost
8. What does “clocks move backward” mean?
a) Time is going faster
b) Time feels like it’s going very slowly
c) The clock is broken
9. If a child is “climbing the walls,” what does it mean?
a) They are very patient
b) They are feeling bored or restless
c) They are learning something
10. What does “bite the bullet” mean?
a) To eat something fast
b) To wait happily
c) To face something hard without delay
11. What does “tapping your foot” usually show?
a) That you are sleepy
b) That you are nervous or impatient
c) That you are dancing
12. What does it mean if someone has “not a patient bone in their body”?
a) They are very sick
b) They are always calm
c) They are very impatient all the time
Answer Key
- b) To wait without anything to do
- b) Nervous and waiting for something
- b) To do something before the right time
- c) To keep checking the time while waiting
- b) They are excited or impatient
- c) To walk back and forth while waiting
- b) Very eager and restless
- b) Time feels like it’s going very slowly
- b) They are feeling bored or restless
- c) To face something hard without delay
- b) That you are nervous or impatient
- c) They are very impatient all the time
Wrapping Up
Waiting is something we all go through, whether it’s for a ride, a call, or a slice of pizza. Americans use many colorful idioms to show impatience. These phrases make everyday talking more fun and help express feelings clearly. From “twiddling your thumbs” to “climbing the walls,” these idioms are part of daily life in the USA.
Now that you know 35 ways to talk about impatience, you can spot them in shows, books, and even at school. These idioms are simple, but they carry a big meaning. Try using one the next time you’re stuck in line or waiting for something exciting to happen.
