intolerant

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rənt 

-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

Synonyms

• impatient

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

Additionally, the absence of fire has allowed the development of dense understory vegetation which out compete shade intolerant oaks. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2025

This is but one indication of the way in which the war constitutes a clash of civilizations – one that’s repressive and intolerant, and another that’s far more open and inclusive. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025

And as the film builds toward the inevitable heartbreak and clash with intolerant family members, the emotion needed to carry such heavy subject matter simply isn’t there. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025

Some individuals—many more than have allergies to milk—are intolerant to it, meaning their bodies struggle to digest dairy products, usually due to milk sugar called lactose. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing intolerant

• lactose intolerant

Rhymes for intolerant

• tolerant

Kids Definition

intolerant

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rənt 

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