definitions

tolerable

[ tol-er-uh-buhl ]
/ ˈtɒl ər ə bəl /
|

adjective

capable of being tolerated; endurable: His arrogance is no longer tolerable.
fairly good; not bad.
Informal. in fair health.

RELATED CONTENT

Extra! Extra! Journalism Jargon ExplainedIn journalism, a slug is not a garden pest. Instead it's a short phrase summarizing the subject of an article, used to identify the story as it moves through the editorial process. What other Journalism jargon have you been confused by?
READ MORE
Can You Untangle These Regional Mix-Ups?Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

Nearby words

tolbutamide test, told, tole, toledo, toledo, francisco de, tolerable, tolerance, tolerance dose, tolerance zone, tolerant, tolerantly

Origin of tolerable

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin tolerābilis, equivalent to tolerā(re) to endure + -bilis -ble
SYNONYMS FOR tolerable
1 bearable, supportable.
2 passable, middling, indifferent, so-so.
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for non-tolerable

tolerable

/ (ˈtɒlərəbəl) /

adjective

able to be tolerated; endurable
permissible
informal fairly good
Derived Formstolerableness or tolerability, nountolerably, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for non-tolerable

tolerable

adj.

early 15c., "bearable," from Middle French tolerable (14c.), from Latin tolerabilis "that may be endured," from tolerare "to tolerate" (see toleration). Meaning "moderate, middling, not bad" is recorded from 1540s. Related: Tolerably.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper