intolerable

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​a·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl 

-ˈtäl-rə-,

-ˈtä-lər-bəl

1

: not tolerable : unbearable

intolerable pain

2

: excessive

intolerability

(ˌ)in-ˌtä-lə-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

-ˌtäl-rə-

-ˌtä-lər-

noun

intolerableness

(ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl-nəs 

-ˈtäl-rə-

-ˈtä-lər-bəl-

noun

intolerably

(ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-blē 

-ˈtäl-rə-

-ˈtä-lər-blē

adverb

Synonyms

• insufferable
• insupportable
• unbearable
• unendurable
• unsupportable

Examples of intolerable in a Sentence

She divorced him on the grounds of intolerable cruelty.

this stifling heat is intolerable

Recent Examples on the Web

Moscow invaded in 2014 and then again in 2022 to stop Kyiv's move westward, and said Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO were an intolerable security threat. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Hartford Courant My friends, what the Trump regime has unleashed on America is intolerable. —Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025

Factors such as an alarm clock's light or a partner's breathing may be intolerable. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025

Even minor concessions that might threaten their grip on power are intolerable to them. —Ye Myo Hein, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin intolerabilis, from in- + tolerabilis tolerable

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for intolerable

• tolerable

Kids Definition

intolerable

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​a·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-bəl 

-ˈtäl-ər-bəl

: not tolerable : unbearable

intolerable pain

intolerability

(ˌ)in-ˌtäl-(ə-)rə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

intolerably

(ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-blē 

-ˈtäl-ər-blē

adverb