# intolerable

/ˌɪnˈtɑɫɝəbəɫ/ (US) · /ɪntˈɒləɹəbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/intolerable
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. unbearable

adjective · CEFR B2

too bad, difficult, or painful to deal with.

For teachers: incapable of being borne or endured; describing a situation that has exceeded the limit of a person's patience or physical capacity.

- The heat in the small room became intolerable after the air conditioner broke.
- The working conditions at the factory had become intolerable, eventually forcing the staff to organize a formal protest against the management.

### 2. offensive or rude

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

so rude or offensive that it cannot be accepted.

For teachers: extremely offensive, insulting, or socially unacceptable in a way that demands a reaction or rejection.

- His intolerable behavior at the dinner party embarrassed everyone at the table.
- The minister faced calls for his resignation after making a series of intolerable remarks regarding the local community.

## Examples

- The heat in the room became intolerable.
- The constant noise from the construction site next door made working from home intolerable for the residents.
- While minor disagreements are expected in any partnership, the persistent lack of transparency eventually created an intolerable atmosphere of distrust that led to the firm's dissolution.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.