tolerate
She can tolerate noise but not chaos.
She can handle noise but not disorder.
to endure or accept something unpleasant or difficult without complaining
He can tolerate spicy food but not sour flavors.
He can eat spicy food but dislikes sour tastes.
The company tolerates late arrivals but not absences.
The company allows late arrivals but not skipping work.
Often used to describe patience with discomfort or inconvenience.
to legally permit something that is not ideal or desirable
The law tolerates certain exceptions under specific conditions.
The law allows certain exceptions under specific rules.
Used in legal contexts to describe permissible deviations.
Collocations
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal
Use 'tolerate' in formal contexts; for casual speech, 'put up with' is more common.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
'Tolerate' implies passive acceptance. For active acceptance, use 'accept' or 'embrace'.
Word Origin
From Latin 'tolerare', meaning 'to bear, endure'.
Usage Notes
Often used to describe patience or legal permission. Avoid using with extreme or violent situations.