tolerate

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈtɑ.lə.ɹeɪt/ UK /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #5910

Meanings

1

verb
To allow something you dislike to happen without trying to stop it.

The party tolerated corruption within its ranks.
2

verb
To put up with something or someone unpleasant.

I can tolerate working on Saturday, but not on Sunday.
3

verb
To respect the beliefs and rights of other people.

We must tolerate the religions of others.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to allow something you... allow permit

2 verb · to put up with something or... bear endure standput up withwithstand

More abear abide aby accept bide brook countenance dree forbear

Opposites

chafe discriminate prohibit rage snap

Word family

Forms toleratedtoleratestolerating

Related forms tolerability tolerable tolerance tolerant toleration

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole.

*telh₂- (bear) Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

# tolerate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ˈtɑ.lə.ɹeɪt
**IPA (UK):** ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt
**Frequency rank:** 5910

## Meanings
1. To allow something you dislike to happen without trying to stop it.
2. To put up with something or someone unpleasant.
3. To respect the beliefs and rights of other people.

## Examples
- The party tolerated corruption within its ranks.
- I can tolerate working on Saturday, but not on Sunday.
- We must tolerate the religions of others.

## Synonyms
- abear
- abide
- aby
- accept
- allow
- bear
- bide
- brook
- countenance
- dree
- endure
- forbear

## Antonyms
- chafe
- discriminate
- prohibit
- rage
- snap

## Related Forms
- tolerability
- tolerable
- tolerance
- tolerant
- toleration

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *telh₂- (bear)

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole.

## AI Etymology
Tolerate is borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *telh₂- (bear). In present-day use, it can mean to allow something you dislike to happen without trying to stop it, or to put up with something or someone unpleasant.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown

tolerate

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback