intolerance
Americannoun
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lack of tolerance; unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect opinions or beliefs contrary to one's own.
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unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect persons of a different social group, especially members of a minority group.
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incapacity or indisposition to bear or endure.
intolerance to heat.
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abnormal sensitivity or allergy to a food, drug, etc.
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an intolerant act.
Etymology
Origin of intolerance
From the Latin word intolerantia, dating back to 1755–65. See intolerant, -ance
Explanation
Intolerance — or an unwillingness to accept the beliefs or behavior of someone different from you — is not a quality you want to have. Intolerance is what leads to hate crimes and discrimination. The word intolerance comes from a combination of the Latin in- meaning “not” and tolerantem meaning "to bear, endure.” Intolerance is not being able to bear or endure beliefs that are different from your own. You may commonly hear of it used with respect to religious intolerance, which is an unwillingness to accept different religious beliefs.
Vocabulary lists containing intolerance
Vocabulary from news articles about rescued teenage sailor
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Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address (1801)
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A Good Kind of Trouble
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Food allergies can cause mild or very serious reactions, which is different to a food intolerance.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
Public figures hold significant influence, and when that influence is used to spread harmful rhetoric, it can contribute to a broader culture of intolerance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
It actually worked—fasting allowed him to gradually introduce foods back into his diet, revealing a straightforward gluten intolerance, a condition that, indeed, can be linked to nasal issues.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
It’s a near-replica of a work shown at the Pompidou with the same solemn title, created to recognize those “physically maimed or mentally harmed” by doctrine and intolerance.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
The Freedom Riders fought intolerance by riding a bus and pushing racial limits in the deep South.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
