intolerant

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rənt How to pronounce intolerant (audio)
-ˈtä--rənt
1
: unable or unwilling to endure
2
a
: unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially in religious matters
b
: unwilling to grant or share social, political, or professional rights : bigoted
3
: exhibiting physiological intolerance
lactose intolerant
intolerantly adverb
intolerantness noun

Examples of intolerant in a Sentence

intolerant of fools, she is not an easy person to work for intolerant people who callously deny others the very rights that they take for granted
Recent Examples on the Web Even a bite or two of the wrong food can create inflammation in a body intolerant to it. Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024 The book’s ironic title refers to the genteel behavior of aristocratic people who are, in reality, cynical, cruel and intolerant. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2024 The bullies are spreading a culture that’s intolerant of food intolerance. Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024 Someone can be intolerant to the lactose in milk, but will not have an immune response. Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 While seeing themselves as the forces of enlightenment, these folks who use the prince of darkness as their mascot are really intolerant dogmatists. Timothy P. Carney, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024 While critics called the ruling legal nonsense, the Kremlin appears to be banking on global homophobia as a unifying ideology that will align intolerant countries — particularly in the Middle East and Africa — against the liberal West. Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023 That's because only a sliver of the population actually has a chronic skin condition, like eczema or rosacea — the real culprits behind intolerant skin. Liana Schaffner, Allure, 21 Sep. 2023 In recent years, Hollywood has grown increasingly intolerant of behavior once considered the norm among producers. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intolerant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intolerant was circa 1735

Dictionary Entries Near intolerant

Cite this Entry

“Intolerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intolerant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intolerant

adjective
in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rənt How to pronounce intolerant (audio)
1
: unable or unwilling to endure
2
: unwilling to grant equality, freedom, or other social rights
intolerantly adverb

Medical Definition

intolerant

adjective
in·​tol·​er·​ant
(ˈ)in-ˈtäl(-ə)-rənt
: exhibiting physiological intolerance : unable to properly metabolize or absorb a substance
People who are lactose intolerant cannot digest lactose because their small intestines do not produce enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks lactose down …Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue

More from Merriam-Webster on intolerant

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