tolerant

adjective

tol·​er·​ant ˈtä-lə-rənt How to pronounce tolerant (audio)
ˈtäl-rənt
1
a
: willing to accept the beliefs, feelings, habits, or behaviors of another group, culture, etc. as legitimate even when they differ from one's own
Despite his strong opinions, he was tolerant enough to be friends with very different kinds of people …Ben Sixsmith
American society progressed, leaving the bluenose mentality behind. Actually, today's tolerant values, accepting yesterday's outcasts, are more decent, fair, and humane.James A. Haught
Certainly the tribal nature of political and social behavior … is a key to understanding the durability of despotic regimes and the absence of tolerant pluralism.David K. Shipler
often used with of
The eight-term California Republican built a reputation in House leadership … as a friendly backslapper increasingly tolerant of his party's most hardline members.Michael Warren and Melanie Zanona
b
: permitting or accepting something (such as a behavior or belief) that one does not like
tolerant parents
often used with of
When it comes to judging friends and lovers, though, people tend not to be so tolerant of contradiction. A lover who betrays us reveals his entire character in a new and damning light. "I thought I knew you!" we cry, in a howl of anger and bewilderment.Edward Dolnick
The southerner is usually tolerant of those weaknesses that proceed from innocence …Flannery O'Connor
I am impressed, when I teach in the United States, by the readiness of students and colleagues to perform boring tasks like reading ill-written but essential texts. … British academic life, by contrast, is markedly less tolerant of tedium; French too.George Watson
Holmes was not prone to friendship, but he was tolerant of the big Scotchman, and smiled at the sight of him.Arthur Conan Doyle
… an intellectual context that was tolerant of barbarism and inhumanity, or even justified it.Richard Wolin
2
: exhibiting tolerance (see tolerance sense 4a) for something (such as a drug or an environmental factor)
The goal of allergy shots is to render a person tolerant to an allergen when it is encountered.Jane E. Brody
These organisms aren't just cold tolerant, they're freeze resistant.Robert C. Cowen
When bacteria become tolerant to these compounds, they sometimes also become less sensitive to certain antibiotic medicines.Coco Ballantyne
tolerantly adverb

Examples of tolerant in a Sentence

this job requires a tolerant person who is used to dealing with complaints and angry customers a tolerant acceptance of the terrible way that his wife has always treated him
Recent Examples on the Web Greene, anyway, believes that Chandler comes out decently well, in the sense that the antagonists in his books are usually the least tolerant individuals in the stories. Nate Rogers, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Surveys suggest that today’s American electric vehicle owners, a relatively tolerant first adopter lot, are often frustrated with the public charging experience. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 13 Feb. 2024 The missing piece in this story is the Community Bible Church, formed in 1983 by former congregants of the First Presbyterian Church of Highlands who rejected that denomination’s tolerant view of gay rights. Robert Draper, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Local government also has been more tolerant of cannabis on the Central Coast than in other farming regions in the state. Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 While drought tolerant, the plant does like supplemental water during extended dry periods. Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 The tolerant exasperation of his reactions was a highlight of my over-engagement with these commercials. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Nor do the authors provide convincing evidence that campuses are substantially less tolerant today than in decades past. David Cole, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024 This is no different than the care for other indoor plants, but because palms are quite tolerant of being pot-bound for a while, gardeners may forget that the potting mix is deteriorating over time and should be refreshed periodically. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tolerant.' 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

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tolerant was in 1746

Dictionary Entries Near tolerant

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

tolerant

adjective
tol·​er·​ant ˈtäl(-ə)-rənt How to pronounce tolerant (audio)
: showing tolerance
tolerantly adverb

Medical Definition

tolerant

adjective
tol·​er·​ant -rənt How to pronounce tolerant (audio)
: exhibiting tolerance (as for a drug or physiological insult)
lactose tolerant

More from Merriam-Webster on tolerant

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