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

• unbearable

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

These temperature swings may be intolerable to our plants. —Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025

Furthermore, patient preparation, side effect and adverse event profiles can be intolerable. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025

Once the norm, such independence now seems to strike this administration as an intolerable act of defiance. —Patricia Lopez, Mercury News, 30 July 2025

But the side effects were often brutal — nausea, fatigue and other toxic reactions made the drugs intolerable for many. —Timothy Holtz, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 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