tolerable

adjective

tol·​er·​a·​ble ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl 

ˈtäl-rə-;

ˈtä-lər-bəl

1

: capable of being borne or endured

tolerable pain

2

: moderately good or agreeable : passable

a tolerable singing voice

tolerability

ˌtä-lə-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌtäl-rə-

noun

tolerably

ˈtä-lə-rə-blē 

ˈtäl-rə-;

ˈtä-lər-blē

adverb

Synonyms

• bearable
• endurable
• sufferable
• supportable
• sustainable

Examples of tolerable in a Sentence

The heat was tolerable for only a short time.

stubbing your toe is at least a more tolerable pain than breaking your foot

Recent Examples on the Web

Side Effects The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for zinc, which includes both foods and supplements, is 40 mg per day for people aged 19 and older.2 A long-term intake above that amount increases your risk of adverse health effects unless a healthcare provider monitors for a specific condition. —Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 19 May 2024

But in recent years, frustration with the military’s role in politics has exploded, making its ever-present eyes and ears less tolerable for many people. —Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 19 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tolerable

adjective

tol·​er·​able

ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-bəl,

ˈtäl-ər-bəl

1

: capable of being put up with

tolerable pain

2

: fairly good

a tolerable singing voice

tolerably

-blē

adverb