ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tolerance

n. C / U
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈtɑɫɝəns// UK //tˈɒləɹəns// tol·er·ance Archaic

n. the ability to accept opinions or behaviors that you do not agree with. It also means your body's ability to handle something like a drug or pain without being hurt.

n. the capacity for or practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others. In a physiological context, it refers to the diminished response to a stimulus after repeated exposure.


SIMPLE

The school promotes tolerance and respect for all cultures.

CONTEXTUAL

Building a high tolerance for spicy food takes time and regular exposure to different peppers.

COMPLEX

A healthy democracy requires a high degree of political tolerance, ensuring that minority voices are heard even when their views conflict with the majority consensus.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

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”).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general quality of being patient; countable when referring to specific allowable deviations in engineering.

Pitfall

He has a big tolerance of painHe has a high tolerance for painTolerance is typically paired with the adjective 'high' rather than 'big', and takes the preposition 'for' when referring to physical or mental endurance.

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