tolerable

adjective

ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl How to pronounce tolerable (audio)
Definition of tolerablenext
1
as in endurable
capable of being endured stubbing your toe is at least a more tolerable pain than breaking your foot

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards the accommodations are tolerable though not exactly luxurious

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tolerable The weather was tolerable in the morning, but by the afternoon, sweat was beading down their foreheads. — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 And expect the real negotiation to happen less between Ankara and Tehran than between Ankara and Washington, over what payment mechanism, if any, is tolerable. — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 The charging-time penalty the new method imposes could be less than three seconds per session—a pretty tolerable penalty for a potential gain of two or three extra years of useful battery life. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 June 2026 Siegel points out that the lower 4 mg retatrutide dose yielded a 19 percent body weight reduction, with a significantly lower rate of discontinuation, suggesting this may be a more tolerable option for many. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tolerable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tolerable
  1. endurable
  2. adequate
  3. bearable
  4. decent
  5. sustainable
  6. satisfactory
  7. fine
  8. good
Adjective
  • Two people with divergent intuitions about what’s normal, or endurable, can end up tussling over the same territory.
    — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • Recognizing this makes the feeling more endurable.
    — Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of endurable
Adjective
  • New regulations required flameproof tents, safety training, and adequate available fire extinguishers.
    — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Since students won’t come to campus in adequate numbers, sell the physical campus, dorms and recreational facilities.
    — Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of adequate
Adjective
  • That means that — despite the heat not going anywhere — temperatures will become slightly more bearable through the next seven days.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Small adjustments over time are more effective (and more bearable) than radical changes later.
    — Evan Zimmer, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of bearable
Adjective
  • Both oxides are already known to be decent catalysts individually.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
  • When brand new entry-level telescopes start at a few hundred dollars, the idea of getting anything decent for pocket change sounds like a pipe dream.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • All of The Filling Station's products are also sold in sustainable packaging.
    — Anne Makovec, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The incentives can be restored now, according to the Data Center Coalition, if they’re tied to requirements for clean energy, sustainable water usage and labor agreements.
    — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustainable
Adjective
  • Employees may have to explain context that the agent should already have or fail to provide it at all, which can potentially result in tasks being performed to less-than-satisfactory expectations.
    — William Jones, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • While the result is not fully satisfactory, Khun Tharo, program manager at CENTRAL, said the organization respects the workers’ decision.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adjective
  • The five-time Pro Bowler had one of his finest statistical seasons last year, allowing only 15 pressures on 491 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
    — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • It’s made of premium—think fine-gauge fibers that don’t itch—merino wool, a naturally thermoregulating material.
    — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • For the mostly Hispanic agriculture and food processing workers, the data center boom hasn’t been all good.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Villa’s recent warm-up defeat to Bayern Munich, though a 2-1 loss, will have offered a useful gauge of what facing elite opposition demands and should stand them in good stead for the level of intensity this game in Salzburg will require.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of good

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Cite this Entry

“Tolerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tolerable. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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