intolerable

1 of 2

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

intolerability

2 of 2

noun

in·​tolerability (¦)in 

ən‧+

: the quality or state of being intolerable

Synonyms of intolerable

Adjective

• unbearable

Examples of intolerable in a Sentence

Adjective

She divorced him on the grounds of intolerable cruelty.

this stifling heat is intolerable

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Gérald Marie potentially raped dozens of young women between the 1980s and the 2000s, acting with a sense of total impunity and within an utterly intolerable culture of rape. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 17 July 2026

The goal, the former official explained, was to make life in such a place so intolerable that detainees would be compelled to leave the country altogether. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

The Clinton administration’s newest rule change seemed, to the Willamette’s champions, a last, intolerable insult. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

There were short wait times for groups in front of us on a Friday evening, but not intolerable. — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

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