suffer fools gladly
To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She does not suffer fools gladly at work.”
“The manager is very impatient and does not suffer fools gladly when people make simple mistakes.”
“Known for his sharp intellect and low patience, the professor rarely suffered fools gladly during his rigorous seminars.”
- 01
flannelled fool
A cricketer (from the white flannel trousers they traditionally wear).
- 02
fool around
To engage in frivolous behaviour; to monkey around.
- 03
fool away
to waste, squander
- 04
lump of school
[Cockney slang]fool
- 05
play the fool
To behave in a foolish or comical manner.
- 06
suffer in silence
To tolerate a bad situation without complaining.
Last updated August 10, 2026