intolerant

[in-tol-er-uhnt]

adjective

1. not tolerating or respecting beliefs, opinions, usages, manners, etc., different from one's own, as in political or religious matters; bigoted.

   Synonyms: totalitarian, dictatorial, biased, prejudiced, proscriptive, narrow, illiberal
   Antonyms: liberal

2. unable or unwilling to tolerate or endure (usually followed byof ).

   intolerant of very hot weather.

3. unable to fully digest or absorb a specified food or drug (used postpositively or in combination).

   lactose intolerant; aspirin-intolerant.

noun

1. an intolerant person; bigot.

intolerant

/ ɪnˈtɒlərənt /

adjective

1. lacking respect for practices and beliefs other than one's own

2. not able or willing to tolerate or endure

   intolerant of noise

Other Word Forms

• intolerantly adverb
• quasi-intolerant adjective
• quasi-intolerantly adverb
• intolerance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of intolerant¹

1725–35; < Latin intolerant- (stem of intolerāns ) impatient. See in- ³, tolerant

Synonym Study

Intolerant, fanatical, bigoted refer to strongly illiberal attitudes. Intolerant refers to an active refusal to allow others to have or put into practice beliefs different from one's own: intolerant in politics; intolerant of other customs. Bigoted is to be so emotionally or subjectively attached to one's own belief as to be hostile to all others: a bigoted person. Fanatical applies to unreasonable or extreme action in maintaining one's beliefs and practices without necessary reference to others: a fanatical religious sect.

Example Sentences

"The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality," Tinubu said on social media Saturday.

Read more on Barron's

On Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pushed back in a post on X, saying that characterizing Nigeria “as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality," the Nigerian leader said in a statement.

Read more on BBC

The second preconception Mr. Mamdani warns us against is that Yoweri Museveni—Uganda’s president for the past 39 intolerant years, with many more likely if he has his way—has been his country’s savior.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Scotland, I'm afraid, of course is becoming more intolerant - both in the public space and frankly I've seen some of that intolerance in the political space too".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• biased 
• bigoted 
• dictatorial 
• disdainful 
• dogmatic 
• fanatical 
• fractious 
• hateful 
• indignant 
• irritable 
• racist 
• xenophobic