tolerable

1 of 2

adjective

tol·​er·​a·​ble ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl How to pronounce tolerable (audio)
ˈtäl-rə-;
ˈtä-lər-bəl
Synonyms of tolerable
1
: capable of being borne or endured
tolerable pain
2
: moderately good or agreeable : passable
a tolerable singing voice
tolerability
ˌtä-lə-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce tolerable (audio)
ˌtäl-rə-
noun
tolerably
ˈtä-lə-rə-blē How to pronounce tolerable (audio)
ˈtäl-rə-;
ˈtä-lər-blē
adverb

tolerability

2 of 2

noun

tol·​er·​a·​bil·​i·​ty ˌtäl(ə)rəˈbilətē How to pronounce tolerability (audio)
ˌtälərˈb-, 
-lətē, 
-i
: the quality or state of being tolerable

Synonyms of tolerable

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tolerable in a Sentence

Adjective The heat was tolerable for only a short time. stubbing your toe is at least a more tolerable pain than breaking your foot
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
So far, the costs of the mutual blockade have been tolerable for the United States. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 The crisis hits harder for those without family abroad who can send them money, food or medicines to make their lives more tolerable. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 That’s a godsend and makes Los Angeles traffic jams almost tolerable. — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Electing the right people to these public positions could ease that stress and make life more tolerable — at least that’s how representative democracy is supposed to work. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tolerable

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tolerable was in the 15th century

Rhymes for tolerable

See All Rhymes for tolerable

Browse Nearby Words

tolerability
tolerable
tolerableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tolerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tolerable. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tolerable

adjective
tol·​er·​able
ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-bəl, 
ˈtäl-ər-bəl
1
: capable of being put up with
tolerable pain
2
: fairly good
a tolerable singing voice
tolerably
-blē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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