intolerable

[ in-tol-er-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. not tolerable; unendurable; insufferable:

   intolerable pain.

   Synonyms: insupportable, unbearable

   Antonyms: endurable

2. excessive.

intolerable

/ ɪnˈtɒlərəbəl /

adjective

1. more than can be tolerated or endured; insufferable
2. informal.
   extremely irritating or annoying

Derived Forms

• inˌtoleraˈbility, noun
• inˈtolerably, adverb

Other Words From

• in·toler·a·bili·ty in·toler·a·ble·ness noun
• in·toler·a·bly adverb
• quasi-in·toler·a·ble adjective
• quasi-in·toler·a·bly adverb
• super·in·toler·a·ble adjective
• super·in·toler·a·ble·ness noun
• super·in·toler·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of intolerable¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word intolerābilis. See in- ³, tolerable

Example Sentences

“This report clearly delineates numerous and frequent instances of faculty who violated the rules and joined the encampments or made comments in their classrooms that were not consistent with rules ... yet the report indicates that not one faculty member was disciplined by the Academic Senate. That seems intolerable to me and has to change,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Many voters are genuinely frustrated with high costs of housing and groceries, and remember lower interest rates and cheaper gas under Trump; many genuinely do see undocumented immigration as out of control, overwhelming the fragile support systems in their cities, and contributing to the kind of low-level disorder and dysfunction they find increasingly intolerable.

From Slate

Congress could not have been clearer that these purges are prohibited because the risk to citizens’ civil rights are intolerable.

From Slate

“I’ll tell you that I welcome the risk because this is intolerable.”

From Slate

An intolerable odor overwhelmed the scent of Pine-Sol.

From Slate

Related Words

• extreme
• impossible
• painful
• unbearable