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
• complaining

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

The military that took over Burkina Faso in a 2022 coup has grown increasingly intolerant of dissent amid worsening Islamist militant violence in the West African country. —CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025

The Slow Burn of Modern Taste Low-caf is not just a compromise for caffeine-intolerant souls. —Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025

What the study found was that fire tolerant trees, those that regenerated with fire, have been replaced over time by fire intolerant trees that just burn. —Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2025

The image left in my head, though, is of the toilet bowl being frantically flushed by Charlotte’s art-dealer boss, a man whose private jet can’t spare him from the gastrointestinal Thanksgiving issues of a lactose-intolerant Gen Zer. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 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