tolerate
verb
What tolerate means
To accept something that you do not like without complaining or taking action.
I can’t tolerate loud music at night.
The school will not tolerate bullying.
Test yourself
Five questions about tolerate
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Question 1 of 5Meaning
What does tolerate mean?
If you tolerate something, you let it continue even though it annoys you, and you do not complain or try to stop it.
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Question 2 of 5Situation
Your flatmate sings loudly in the shower every morning. You hate the noise, but you never say anything. You ___ it.
You do not like the singing, but you accept it without complaining, so you tolerate it. You regret your own actions, not someone else’s singing.
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Question 3 of 5Gap
The new manager made it clear that she will not ___ rude behaviour in the office.
The manager will not accept rude behaviour and will act to stop it, so tolerate fits. You regret your own actions, and you reassure people, not behaviour.
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Question 4 of 5Similar word
Which phrase is closest in meaning to tolerate?
Put up with means to accept something annoying without complaining, which is exactly what tolerate means. Get rid of is almost the opposite: to remove something.
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Question 5 of 5Correct use
Which sentence uses tolerate correctly?
After tolerate, use a noun or an -ing form, as in tolerate waiting. It takes no preposition, and it is not followed by to wait or the bare form wait.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer, Enter goes on.
Tolerate in a sentence
5 more examples of tolerate in everyday situations.
- At work
Our company does not tolerate rude behavior toward customers.
- Health
Some people can’t tolerate milk, so they drink oat or soy milk instead.
- In the passive
Cheating will not be tolerated in this exam.
- At home
I can tolerate a messy kitchen, but not a dirty bathroom.
- Gardening
These plants tolerate cold winters and need very little water.
How to use tolerate
Tolerate is stronger than accept. You tolerate something unpleasant. Tolerant describes people who accept differences. The noun is tolerance.
A zero-tolerance policy means no exceptions.
Forms
- tolerateshe/she/it
- toleratedpast and past participle
- tolerating-ing form
- tolerancenoun
- tolerantadjective
- tolerableadjective
Patterns
- tolerate something
- can’t tolerate something
- not tolerate + -ing
- will not be tolerated
Common mistakes with tolerate
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NotI can’t tolerate to wait.
SayI can’t tolerate waiting. / I can’t stand waiting.
After tolerate, use a noun or -ing.
Tolerate or put up with or can’t stand?
- tolerate or put up with
- Put up with is the everyday phrasal verb with the same meaning: “I put up with the noise.” Tolerate sounds more formal and is common in official rules and in health contexts.
- tolerate or can’t stand
- Can’t stand is informal and very strong; it means you really hate something. Tolerate is neutral or formal and is often used in the negative for rules: “We will not tolerate violence.”
Tolerate is a C1 word. Is that your level? Take the level test or count the words you know.
Tolerate word family and collocations
The words that go with tolerate, so you can use it in a whole phrase.
Common collocations
- tolerate noise
- can’t tolerate
- zero tolerance
- tolerate differences
- hard to tolerate
Word family
- tolerate (verb)
- tolerance (noun)
- tolerant (adjective)
- intolerable (adjective)
Similar words
- put up with
Questions about tolerate
Is tolerate formal?
Tolerate is a little formal. In everyday speech, people often say put up with or can’t stand. In rules, news and medical writing, tolerate is very common.
What is the noun of tolerate?
The main noun is tolerance: “tolerance of other cultures” or “a tolerance for spicy food.” Toleration exists too, but it is rare and mostly used about religion and politics.
Yesterday’s word
Do you still remember potluck?
One question about the word from 19 October. Remembering a word a day later helps it stay.
One question
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What does potluck mean?
At a potluck the host does not cook all the food. Every guest makes or buys one dish and brings it, and everybody shares.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer.
More feelings words
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B2
outgoing
Friendly, open and enjoying meeting people. -
C1
moody
Having moods that change quickly, often becoming unhappy or angry without a clear reason. -
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empathy
The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings. -
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grateful
Feeling or showing thanks because someone has helped you or given you something. -
B2
guilty
Feeling bad because you think you have done something wrong. -
C1
sentimental
Connected with feelings of love or memories, often about the past.