intolerable
gb/ɪntˈɑlɚəbəl/ us/ɪntˈɑlɚəbəl/
B2
English
~ 5500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
too bad to be accepted
So bad that people cannot accept it and should not have to live with it.
Usage pattern:
[situation/behavior] is intolerable
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "intolerable" with "intolerant". "Intolerable" describes a situation or thing that is too bad to accept (an intolerable situation), while "intolerant" describes a person who does not accept other people or ideas (an intolerant person). Learners also sometimes use "very intolerable"; because "intolerable" is already very strong, it is usually better to say "completely intolerable" or just "intolerable".
Synonyms
unacceptable (Focuses on something not allowed or not good enough, especially by rules or moral standards.)
|
outrageous (Stronger and more emotional, suggesting shock or anger at how bad something is.)
Antonyms
acceptable (Describes something that people are willing to allow or live with.)
|
tolerable (Suggests something is not good but still just good enough to live with.)
Collocations
intolerable situation
|intolerable conditions
|intolerable cruelty
|intolerable behavior
|intolerable injustice
Themes
society
|ethics
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
|law
Examples
- The judge called the company’s treatment of its workers absolutely intolerable.
- Many residents consider the level of street violence intolerable.
- It is intolerable that children are still living in these conditions.
- His constant lying created an intolerable situation at work.
- The report concluded that further delays would be politically intolerable.
Learner examples
- The noise from the factory is intolerable for the people who live nearby.
- They say it is intolerable that some families have no clean water.
- Her rude comments were intolerable, so I left the meeting.
- For many teachers, the lack of support has become intolerable.
- The students found the unfair rules intolerable.
adjective
B2
property
2
impossible to bear (pain, discomfort)
So painful or uncomfortable that a person feels they cannot stand it.
Usage pattern:
[pain/discomfort] is intolerable
Common mistake:
Learners may say "too much intolerable" or "very intolerable" when talking about pain or stress. It is usually enough to say "intolerable pain" or use an adverb like "almost" or "completely" ("almost intolerable pain"). They also sometimes use "intolerable" for small annoyances; in everyday speech, "intolerable" usually suggests very strong pain or discomfort.
Synonyms
unbearable (The most common everyday word for pain or stress that feels too strong to endure.)
|
excruciating (Emphasizes extremely severe pain; often stronger and more dramatic than "intolerable".)
Antonyms
bearable (Describes pain or discomfort that is bad but still possible to live with.)
|
mild (Describes pain or discomfort that is not strong, the opposite of the strong intensity in "intolerable".)
Collocations
intolerable pain
|intolerable heat
|intolerable pressure
|intolerable noise
|almost intolerable
Themes
health
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The pain in his back became intolerable, and he was rushed to the hospital.
- After an hour in the sun, the heat on the metal seats was intolerable.
- The constant drilling outside created an intolerable noise in the apartment.
- She left the room because the tension between them was almost intolerable.
- For many migrants, the pressure of debt is intolerable.
Learner examples
- He went to the doctor because the pain in his leg was intolerable.
- The heat in the small room was intolerable in the afternoon.
- The loud music from the club was intolerable, so we could not sleep.
- She found the stress at her new job intolerable.
- The smell in the kitchen was intolerable after the food went bad.
Grammar
Dictionary form
intolerable
IPA
GB/ɪntˈɑlɚəbəl/
US/ɪntˈɑlɚəbəl/
Syllables & stress
in - tol - er - able (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tol)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: intolerable
Word family
Negative and opposite forms
Related words
toleration
noun C1
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.