Word
intolerant
Phoneticsin·tol·er·ant, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈtɑɫɝənt/
UK/ɪntˈɒləɹənt/
Definitions
01prejudiced or narrow-minded
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not willing to accept ideas, religions, or ways of behaving that are different from your own.
adj. unwilling to tolerate contrary opinions, beliefs, or social practices; exhibiting narrow-mindedness or prejudice.
“The local community was unfortunately intolerant of any new ideas regarding the park.”
“The regime became increasingly intolerant of dissent, eventually banning all independent media outlets and public demonstrations.”
Usage
often followed by the preposition 'of'.
Antonyms
02unable to digest
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
adj. unable to eat a certain food or medicine without getting sick.
adj. physiologically unable to digest or process a specific substance without adverse effects.
“Since he is lactose intolerant, he has to use almond milk in his coffee.”
“Patients who are intolerant to statins may require alternative therapies to manage their cholesterol levels effectively.”
Usage
usually follows the noun it describes or appears after 'to'.
03a bigoted person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a person who refuses to accept other people's beliefs or ways of life.
n. a person who is narrow-minded or bigoted toward those with differing opinions or backgrounds.
“The author argued that we must not let the intolerants control the public debate.”
“History often remembers the great reformers, but it also records the fierce opposition they faced from the religious intolerants of their day.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“They argued that cancel culture had created an "intolerant climate" and had weakened "norms of open debate".” “But did you know that most people in the world today are lactose intolerant – and that the condition itself was invented in the 1960s ?” “These political religions would be even more intolerant than Christianity, Leopardi believed, and if you consider the history of the 20th Century, he was surely right.” Etymology
First attested in the first half of the 18th century; either borrowed from French intolérant (early 17th century) or from its source, Latin intolerāns. By surface analysis, in- + tolerant (itself only attested from the 1780s).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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