English Reference
adjective

tolerant

adj.
US /ˈtɑɫɝənt/ UK /tˈɒləɹənt/ tol·er·ant

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    willing to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own.

    showing a willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behaviour that one does not necessarily agree with.

    Simple

    The city is known for being very tolerant of different cultures and religions.

    In context

    A truly democratic society must remain tolerant of dissenting voices, even when those voices challenge the prevailing political consensus.

    Usage

    Usually followed by the preposition 'of'.

    Pitfall
    He is tolerant with my mistakes. He is tolerant of my mistakes.

    The adjective 'tolerant' usually takes the preposition 'of' when followed by an object.

    open mindedforbearingaccepting
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    able to survive or handle difficult conditions like heat, cold, or chemicals.

    capable of enduring or resisting the action of a drug, physiological stressor, or environmental condition.

    Simple

    These garden plants are very tolerant of dry weather and don't need much water.

    In context

    The researchers identified a specific strain of wheat that is remarkably tolerant of high soil salinity, making it ideal for coastal farming.

    Usage

    Often used in biological or technical contexts with 'of'.

These mice also became less tolerant of stress as adults.

ScienceDaily· 26 Aug 2026

Either borrowed from French tolérant or directly from its source Latin tolerans, present participle of, and participial adjective from tolerō (“to endure”).

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

This entry
Origin Latin tolerans
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated