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

The clatter and chatter in a crowded restaurant are intolerable. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2024

The same characteristics that insulate the United States from the deterioration of world order in the near term mean that Washington can wait a long time until that deterioration becomes intolerable. —Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 27 May 2024

The sarcasm and disdain of Mr. Williams, not to mention the lack of logic, is intolerable. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 May 2024

The consensus wisdom was that such fires were intolerable. —Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024

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

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