try one's patience

1. Put one's tolerance to a severe test, cause one to be annoyed, as in Putting these parts together really tries my patience, or Her constant lateness tries our patience. This idiom uses try in the sense of “test,” a usage dating from about 1300.

Example Sentences

Still, such characters can also try one’s patience, making a series difficult to watch, no matter how good it is.

From Los Angeles Times

In the third place, there are special annoyances in the service of a public, which includes always some inconsiderate and many ignorant persons, and these will frequently try one's patience, however angelic and forbearing.

From Project Gutenberg

“True, true, and I would not speak slightingly of them, but they do try one’s patience; here is the wind failing, and we all ready to hoist sail,” returned the captain with another growl, a glance at the sky, and a frown at his vessel, everything about which betokened readiness for instant departure.

From Project Gutenberg

Surely this is enough to try one's patience.

From Project Gutenberg

Some parties would waste the time, and try one's patience by having amongst them laggards, to whom explanations already given had to be repeated.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• annoy 
• bother 
• disturb 
• exasperate 
• gall 
• inflame 
• irk 
• irritate 
• peeve 
• provoke 
• roil 
• vex