tolerant

[tol-er-uhnt]

adjective

1. inclined or disposed to tolerate; showing tolerance; forbearing.

   tolerant of errors.

2. favoring toleration.

   a tolerant church.

3. Medicine/Medical, Immunology.

   1. able to endure or resist the action of a drug, poison, etc.

   2. lacking or exhibiting low levels of immune response to a normally immunogenic substance.

tolerant

/ ˈtɒlərənt /

adjective

1. able to tolerate the beliefs, actions, opinions, etc, of others

2. permissive

3. able to withstand extremes, as of heat and cold

4. med (of a patient) exhibiting tolerance to a drug

Other Word Forms

• tolerantly adverb
• nontolerant adjective
• nontolerantly adverb
• overtolerant adjective
• overtolerantly adverb
• quasi-tolerant adjective
• quasi-tolerantly adverb
• self-tolerant adjective
• self-tolerantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tolerant¹

First recorded in 1770–80; from Latin tolerant-, stem of tolerāns “bearing,” present participle of tolerāre “to bear”; tolerate

Example Sentences

He dismisses as “simplistic” the few pro-Franco polemicists who would give the dictator credit for the tolerant and democratic Spain that emerged after 1975.

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Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Reed said the government was aiming to create a "fair, tolerant and compassionate" asylum system.

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It helps make the UK a special place; overwhelmingly kind, tolerant and curious.

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Meanwhile back at Heritage, whereas Strauss thought you should never force voters to elect ideological extremists to get conservative policies, Mr. Roberts’s tolerant approach toward the fringe right would achieve exactly the opposite.

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But Katayama’s comments might be interpreted as signaling that the government could be more tolerant of BOJ policy changes than many expect.

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Related Words

• forgiving 
• humane 
• lenient 
• liberal 
• permissive 
• progressive 
• receptive 
• sympathetic