tolerate

American  

[tol-uh-reyt] / ˈtɒl əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

tolerated, tolerating

1. to allow the existence, presence, practice, or act of without prohibition or hindrance; permit.

2. to endure without repugnance; put up with.

   I can tolerate laziness, but not incompetence.

   Synonyms:

   accept, support

3. Medicine/Medical. to endure or resist the action of (a drug, poison, etc.).

4. Obsolete. to experience, undergo, or sustain, as pain or hardship.

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tolerate British  

/ ˈtɒləˌreɪt /

verb

1. to treat with indulgence, liberality, or forbearance

2. to permit

3. to be able to bear; put up with

4. med to have tolerance for (a drug, poison, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• nontolerated adjective
• nontolerative adjective
• tolerative adjective
• tolerator noun
• untolerated adjective
• untolerating adjective
• untolerative adjective

Etymology

Origin of tolerate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin tolerātus “borne,” past participle of tolerāre “to bear”; akin to thole ²

Example Sentences

But he got the feeling the Pinks tolerated him for that very same reason.

From Literature

With the writer’s blessing he jotted down their conversations and interviewed his friends and associates; McMurtry tolerated these intrusions “as long as he could pretend I wasn’t writing a book,” Mr. Streitfeld tells us.

From The Wall Street Journal

Serious side effects were reported at similar rates in both groups, indicating that the treatment was generally well tolerated.

From Science Daily

That could lead to the RBA tolerating a recession in order to contain inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We’re not going to tolerate this kind of corruption in California.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abide
• accept
• brook
• condone
• countenance
• endure
• permit
• stand for