tolerate meaning

The word ‘tolerate’ means to accept or allow something unpleasant or difficult.

tolerate :

to allow, to endure

Verb

▪ She can tolerate loud noises.

▪ She can endure loud noises.

▪ He tolerates spicy food well.

▪ He allows himself to eat spicy food.

paraphrasing

▪ endure – to bear with patience

▪ accept – to agree to something

▪ permit – to allow

▪ bear – to carry or support

tolerate

Pronunciation

tolerate [ˈtɒl.ə.reɪt]

The stress is on 'tol' and sounds like 'tol-uh-reyt'.

Common phrases and grammar about tolerate

tolerate - Common meaning

Verb
to allow, to endure

Part of Speech Changes for "tolerate"

▪ tolerance (noun) – the ability to accept or endure

▪ tolerable (adjective) – able to be endured

Common Expressions with "tolerate"

▪ tolerate behavior – to allow actions

▪ tolerate pain – to endure discomfort

▪ tolerate differences – to accept diversity

▪ tolerate a delay – to allow waiting

Important examples of tolerate in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, tolerate often means to allow or endure situations or conditions.

▪The manager will not tolerate lateness.
▪The manager will not allow being late.

Example of a confusing word: tolerate vs. tolerate (to endure)

▪The manager will not tolerate to be late.
▪The manager will not endure being late.
"Tolerate" is a verb meaning "to allow" or "endure" something unpleasant or undesirable. In the sentence "The manager will not tolerate lateness," the structure is correct: "tolerate + noun (lateness)." A common mistake is using "tolerate" with an infinitive form, as in "tolerate to be late," which is grammatically incorrect. Instead, "tolerate" should be followed by a noun or gerund. Therefore, "tolerate" is the correct choice when indicating that something will not be accepted or endured.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

Tolerate is used as a verb, often in contexts where someone allows or endures something.

▪We tolerate noise during the day.
▪We allow noise during the day.

tolerate

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

zero tolerance

'no acceptance', used in strict policies.

▪The school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying.
▪The school does not accept bullying at all.

grin and bear it

means 'to endure something unpleasant with good humor'.

▪Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it.
▪Sometimes you just have to endure with a smile.

Differences between similar words and tolerate

tolerate

,

endure

differences

Tolerate means to allow or accept something, while endure means to bear or withstand something difficult.

tolerate
▪She tolerates his habits.
▪She allows his habits.
endure
▪He endured the long journey.
▪He bore the long journey.
tolerate

Words with the same origin as tolerate

The origin of tolerate

Tolerate comes from the Latin 'tolerare', which means 'to bear or endure'.

Word structure

It has the root toler (to bear) and the suffix ate (verb), meaning 'to bear'.

Words with the same origin

The root of tolerate is toler (to bear). Words with the same root include toleration (the act of enduring).

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