tolerable

[tol-er-uh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable of being tolerated; endurable.

   His arrogance is no longer tolerable.

   Synonyms: supportable, bearable

2. fairly good; not bad.

   Synonyms: so-so, indifferent, middling, passable

3. Informal.,  in fair health.

tolerable

/ ˈtɒlərəbəl /

adjective

1. able to be tolerated; endurable

2. permissible

3. informal,  fairly good

Other Word Forms

• tolerableness noun
• tolerability noun
• tolerably adverb
• nontolerable adjective
• nontolerableness noun
• nontolerably adverb
• untolerable adjective
• untolerableness noun
• untolerably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tolerable¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin tolerābilis, equivalent to tolerā ( re ) to endure + -bilis -ble

Example Sentences

Oatmeal cake was a tolerable idea, but the possibility of kipper cake made them gag.

Read more on Literature

Spending a night or two outdoors in a securely pitched tent was a tolerable idea, but thunder?

Read more on Literature

This compares with one in 95,435 for the section with a tolerable risk, where the rockface is set much further back from the path.

Read more on BBC

Air travel in the US will return to a somewhat tolerable normal.

Read more on BBC

Since taking power, Syria's new leaders have sought to break from their own violent extremist past, and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• adequate 
• allowable 
• bearable 
• decent 
• livable 
• presentable 
• respectable 
• satisfactory 
• sufficient 
• sustainable