ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tolerable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɑɫɝəbəɫ// UK //tˈɒləɹəbəl// tol·er·a·ble Dialect

adj. good enough to be accepted, even if it is not perfect or great. You use this to describe something that is okay or that you can handle without too much trouble.

adj. capable of being endured or accepted; moderately good or satisfactory. Often used to describe conditions or qualities that are adequate but lack excellence.


SIMPLE

The weather was tolerable, so we decided to walk to the park.

CONTEXTUAL

While the hotel room was small and basic, the cleanliness made the stay tolerable for a single night.

COMPLEX

The administration implemented several minor reforms to make the working conditions more tolerable, though the staff continued to advocate for more substantial structural changes.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English tolerable, borrowed from Middle French tolerable, from Latin tolerābilis.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'become', or 'remain'.

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