Merriam-Webster's Word Central

July 28, 2011

tolerance (noun): \TAH-luh-runss\
What does it mean?: 1 a : ability to put up with something harmful or unpleasant b : the ability to adjust to a food or drug so that its effects are experienced less strongly2 : sympathy for or acceptance of feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from one's own
How do you use it?: Plants that do well in the rock garden have a high tolerance for direct sun.
Are you a word wiz?: Only one of these sentences uses "tolerance" correctly. Which one do you think it is?

A. Jenny could not tolerance her neighbor's noisy dog any longer.

B. Mary's tolerance finally paid off when she found a new job after looking for two years.

C. Stephen has little tolerance for anyone who disobeys the rules.

D. Craig has the utmost tolerance for his music teacher who taught him everything he knows about the guitar.

Only C gets it right. We can eliminate A right off the bat because "tolerance" is a noun, not a verb. The verb "tolerate," meaning "to put up with," would make sense in place of "tolerance." B, C, and D all use "tolerance" as a noun, but its meaning doesn't work in either B or D. For B, "tolerance" should be replaced with either "perseverance" or "patience." In D, "respect" or "admiration" would make good replacements for "tolerance."