English Reference
noun · verb

tolerance

n. · v.
US /ˈtɑɫɝəns/ UK /tˈɒləɹəns/ tol·er·ance UK spelling tolerances

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.the ability to accept the feelings, habits, or beliefs of other people, even if you do not agree with them.

    n.the capacity for or practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others. Uncountable in this abstract social sense.

    Simple

    The city is famous for its religious tolerance and diverse population.

    In context

    Promoting a culture of mutual tolerance is essential for maintaining social cohesion in increasingly multicultural urban environments.

    patienceopen mindednessforbearance
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    n.the ability of your body to handle a drug, a poison, or pain without being affected as much as before.

    n.the power or capacity of an organism to resist the effects of a drug, toxin, or environmental stressor through prior exposure.

    Simple

    After taking the medication for a year, he developed a tolerance to it.

    In context

    The patient's high tolerance for sedatives required the anesthesiologist to adjust the dosage significantly during the procedure.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    n.the amount that a measurement is allowed to vary from the perfect size.

    n.the permissible limit or limits of variation in a physical dimension or a measured value. Countable when referring to specific measurements.

    Simple

    The parts must be made with a tolerance of less than one millimeter.

    In context

    The aerospace components were manufactured to extremely tight tolerances to ensure they would fit perfectly under extreme thermal expansion.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency ArchaicLiterary

    n.the ability to suffer through pain or hardship for a long time.

    n.the capacity to endure hardship or pain; synonymous with endurance in older texts.

    Simple

    The explorer showed great tolerance for the freezing cold of the mountains.

    In context

    His legendary tolerance for physical suffering allowed him to survive weeks in the wilderness with minimal supplies.

  5. 05 C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    v.to design a part or material so it has a specific allowed margin of error.

    v.to design or engineer a component to a specified technical tolerance. Transitive use.

    Simple

    The engineers had to tolerance the engine parts very carefully.

    In context

    When designing the bridge, the architects had to tolerance the steel beams to account for significant seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Financial planning isn't just about numbers; it's about advice based on human values, emotional anxieties, family dynamics, personal experiences and risk tolerance.

Phys.org· 17 Aug 2026

To reduce the influence of cannabis tolerance, participants used cannabis relatively infrequently, fewer than three times per week, while still having used it at least once during the past year.

ScienceDaily· 29 May 2026

Inherited from Middle English toleraunce, borrowed from Old French tolerance, from Latin tolerantia (“endurance”), from tolerāns, present participle of, and participial adjective from Latin tolerō (“to endure”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old French tolerance
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated