tolerance

noun

tol·er·ance | \ ˈtä-lə-rən(t)s

, ˈtäl-rən(t)s\

Definition of tolerance

1 : capacity to endure pain or hardship : endurance, fortitude, stamina

2a : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own

b : the act of allowing something : toleration

3 : the allowable deviation from a standard especially : the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a piece

4a(1) : the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (such as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure developed a tolerance to painkillers also : the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen

(2) : relative capacity of an organism to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor

b : the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that may lawfully remain on or in food

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Examples of tolerance in a Sentence

a tolerance for other lifestyles The plants have a high tolerance for heat. Some patients gradually develop a tolerance for the drug and need to be given a larger dose. Some patients develop greater tolerance for the drug's effects.

Recent Examples on the Web

In phase 1 clinical trials, a drug or drug combination is for the first time used in humans to test their tolerance and effectiveness. — Naseem S. Miller, orlandosentinel.com, "AdventHealth partners with Moffitt Cancer Center to bring clinical trials to Orlando," 17 Sep. 2019 In order to retain their tolerance, patients would need to continue taking the maintenance dose, possibly indefinitely. — Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, "For Children With Peanut Allergies, F.D.A. Experts Recommend a New Treatment," 13 Sep. 2019 Every franchise and locker room will have its own tolerance for extracurricular drama, which makes ranking Irving a challenge. — Rob Mahoney, SI.com, "Top 100 NBA Players of 2020," 12 Sep. 2019 My tolerance for exposure, risk, and danger was always wimpy compared with those who took the sport seriously. — Nick Heil, Outside Online, "The Tragedy on Howse Peak," 28 Aug. 2019 So, during a drought, trees that would normally be on the edge of their drought tolerance aren’t anymore. — oregonlive.com, "Western Oregon conifers continue to show damage from drought," 20 Aug. 2019 Nor all independents — some of whom left Labour in protest at his tolerance of anti-Semitism within their old party. — John O'sullivan, National Review, "Brexit: The Rubik’s Cube of British Politics," 12 Aug. 2019 Our tolerance for cheaters, liars, and grifters has increased, and audacity is now prized as a much as actual accomplishment. — Oliver Staley, Quartz, "Marathon cheater Rosie Ruiz was an anti-hero ahead of her time," 9 Aug. 2019 And who would turn down the idea of entertaining a women’s tour that has long been known for its tolerance, diversity and revolutionary thought? — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Zheng Saisi, faring better than the event, wins San Jose tennis tournament," 4 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tolerance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near tolerance

Statistics for tolerance

Last Updated

22 Sep 2019

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Time Traveler for tolerance

The first known use of tolerance was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for tolerance

tolerance

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tolerance

: willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own

: the ability to accept, experience, or survive something harmful or unpleasant

medical : your body's ability to become adjusted to something (such as a drug) so that its effects are experienced less strongly

See the full definition for tolerance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tolerance

noun

tol·er·ance | \ ˈtä-lə-rəns

Kids Definition of tolerance

1 : ability to put up with something harmful, bad, or annoying He was running out of tolerance for the pushy young cop.— Carl Hiaasen, Hoot

2 : sympathy for or acceptance of feelings or habits which are different from someone's own

tolerance

noun

tol·er·ance | \ ˈtäl(-ə)-rən(t)s

Medical Definition of tolerance

1 : the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure developed a tolerance to painkillers

2 : the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen