tolerance

noun

tol·​er·​ance ˈtä-lə-rən(t)s How to pronounce tolerance (audio)
ˈtäl-rən(t)s
Synonyms of tolerance
1
: capacity to endure pain or hardship : endurance, fortitude, stamina
2
a
: sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
b
: the act of allowing something : toleration
3
: the allowable deviation from a standard
especially : the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a piece
4
a(1)
: the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (such as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure
developed a tolerance to painkillers
also : the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen
(2)
: relative capacity of an organism to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor
b
: the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that may lawfully remain on or in food

Synonyms of tolerance

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tolerance in a Sentence

a tolerance for other lifestyles The plants have a high tolerance for heat. Some patients gradually develop a tolerance for the drug and need to be given a larger dose. Some patients develop greater tolerance for the drug's effects.
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.
Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs and risk tolerance before making a decision. — Usa Today, USA Today, 2 July 2026 The push for official events comes alongside a zero-tolerance reminder from city leaders that all consumer fireworks remain strictly banned. — Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 1 July 2026 But a wiser course might be to emphasize a kind of counter-nostalgia, reclaiming a mythic past for the forces of tolerance and democratic generosity. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 The department maintains an absolute zero-tolerance policy for any actions that compromise our core values, our strict ethical standards, or the public trust. — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tolerance

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Phrases Containing tolerance

Rhymes for tolerance

See All Rhymes for tolerance

Browse Nearby Words

tolerably
tolerance
tolerant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tolerance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tolerance. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tolerance

noun
tol·​er·​ance ˈtäl(-ə)-rən(t)s How to pronounce tolerance (audio)
1
a
: ability to put up with something harmful or unpleasant
b
: the ability to adjust to a food or drug so that its effects are experienced less strongly
2
: sympathy for or acceptance of feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from one's own

Medical Definition

tolerance

noun
tol·​er·​ance ˈtäl(-ə)-rən(t)s How to pronounce tolerance (audio)
1
: the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure
developed a tolerance to painkillers
2
: the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen

More from Merriam-Webster on tolerance

Nglish: Translation of tolerance for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All