tolerance
gb/tˈɑlɚəns/ us/tˈɑlɚəns/
B1
English
~ 7600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
acceptance of different people or ideas
The attitude of accepting people or ideas that are different from you, and not treating them badly because of this.
Usage pattern:
tolerance of/for [different people or beliefs]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tolerance' with 'patience'. 'Tolerance' is about accepting differences in people, ideas, or behavior, while 'patience' is about staying calm when something is slow or difficult. Also, use 'tolerance of/for' rather than 'tolerance to' in this social sense: say 'tolerance for other religions', not 'tolerance to other religions'.
Synonyms
acceptance (Stresses welcoming or allowing differences, often with a positive attitude.)
|
open-mindedness (Suggests a readiness to consider new or different ideas; slightly more informal.)
|
broad-mindedness (Similar to open-mindedness, but often used for moral or social issues.)
Antonyms
intolerance (Direct opposite; refusing to accept different beliefs or ways of living.)
|
bigotry (Strong, unreasonable hatred toward people of different groups; more emotional and negative.)
|
prejudice (Unfair negative opinion about others based on group identity, not facts.)
Collocations
religious tolerance
|racial tolerance
|cultural tolerance
|promote tolerance
|teach tolerance
|a climate of tolerance
Themes
society
|values
|politics
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The school runs workshops to promote tolerance and respect among students from different backgrounds.
- Legal protections for religious tolerance are an important part of a democratic society.
- Her experience living abroad greatly increased her tolerance for different customs and lifestyles.
- A healthy community depends on tolerance of differing political opinions.
- Online platforms are under pressure to balance free speech with zero tolerance for hate speech.
Learner examples
- We must show tolerance to people from other cultures.
- The teacher talks about tolerance in every class.
- Good leaders have tolerance for different ideas.
- There is little tolerance for racist language in this company.
Noun
B2
property
2
ability to put up with something
How much you can accept or live with something bad or uncomfortable, like noise, stress, or bad behavior.
Usage pattern:
tolerance for [unpleasant thing or situation]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'tolerance to' by copying the medical or technical pattern. In general everyday use about life situations, 'tolerance for' is more natural: 'tolerance for noise', 'tolerance for stress'. Also, 'tolerance' here is uncountable; do not say 'a tolerance' when you mean general ability.
Synonyms
endurance (Focuses more on physical or mental strength over time, especially in difficult conditions.)
|
forbearance (More formal; stresses self-control when dealing with others' faults or problems.)
|
resilience (Emphasizes recovering quickly from difficulties rather than just bearing them.)
Antonyms
sensitivity (In this context, means reacting strongly or easily to something unpleasant.)
|
impatience (Inability or unwillingness to put up with delay, discomfort, or difficulty.)
|
intolerance (General unwillingness to put up with unpleasant things or behaviors.)
Collocations
low tolerance for noise
|high tolerance for stress
|pain tolerance
|tolerance for ambiguity
|tolerance for risk
Themes
health
|daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have a pretty low tolerance for spicy food, so I ordered the mild curry.
- The job requires a high tolerance for stress and long working hours.
- My pain tolerance is quite high, so I refused the stronger medication.
- Her tolerance for chaos is limited; she prefers a quiet, orderly office.
- Children often have a lower tolerance for frustration than adults.
Learner examples
- He has a low tolerance for noise.
- This work needs a high tolerance for stress.
- My pain tolerance is not very high.
- She has no tolerance for rude behavior.
Noun
technical
C1
state
3
body becoming used to a drug
When a drug works less on your body over time, so you need more of it to feel the same effect.
Usage pattern:
tolerance to [a drug or substance]
Common mistake:
A common mistake is to mix the patterns from different senses. In medical use, 'tolerance to' a drug is normal: 'tolerance to alcohol', 'tolerance to morphine'. Saying 'tolerance for alcohol' can sound more like a social or lifestyle judgment rather than a medical description.
Synonyms
habituation (Technical; broader process of becoming used to a stimulus, not limited to drugs.)
|
desensitization (Technical; focuses on decreased sensitivity, sometimes through controlled exposure.)
Antonyms
sensitivity (In medicine, means reacting strongly to small amounts of a drug.)
|
intolerance (In medical use, means the body reacts badly even to normal doses of a drug or substance.)
Collocations
develop tolerance to
|build up a tolerance
|increased drug tolerance
|opioid tolerance
|tolerance to caffeine
Themes
medicine
|health
|science
Examples
- Over time, patients may develop a tolerance to the medication and require higher doses.
- He drinks so much coffee that he has built up a significant tolerance to caffeine.
- Long-term use of sleeping pills can lead to tolerance and dependence.
- The study examined how quickly opioid tolerance develops in different age groups.
Learner examples
- After many weeks, she developed a tolerance to the pain medicine.
- He has a high tolerance to caffeine and can drink coffee at night.
- Some drugs stop working well because the body builds tolerance.
- Doctors watch for tolerance when patients take strong medicine.
Noun
technical
C1
quantity
4
permitted variation in measurements
The small difference from the exact size, number, or value that is allowed in making or testing something.
Usage pattern:
tolerance of [plus or minus amount] on [measurement]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this technical sense with the social meaning. In engineering or quality control, 'tolerance' is about numbers and measurements, not about people or ideas. Also, it is usually used in the singular in this sense ('the tolerance is 0.1 mm'), except when talking in general about 'tolerances' for many dimensions.
Synonyms
margin of error (More general and often less technical; used in statistics and everyday speech.)
|
allowance (Engineering use; refers to a planned difference in size or fit.)
Antonyms
precision (Not a direct opposite, but smaller tolerances usually mean higher precision.)
|
noncompliance (In quality control, means a part or value is outside the allowed tolerance.)
Collocations
within tolerance
|tolerance limits
|tight tolerance
|manufacturing tolerances
|dimensional tolerance
|plus or minus tolerance
Themes
engineering
|science
|business
|technology
Examples
- These components must be machined to a tolerance of plus or minus 0.01 millimeters.
- The part is out of tolerance and cannot be used in the final assembly.
- Tighter tolerances increase production costs but improve product quality.
- Engineers specified a tolerance range to ensure all parts would fit together correctly.
Learner examples
- The hole has a tolerance of ±0.1 mm.
- This part is within tolerance, so it is OK.
- The machine can cut metal with very small tolerances.
- If a size is outside the tolerance, they must throw the part away.
Noun
technical
C2
state
5
immune system not attacking something
When the body’s defense system does not attack certain things, such as its own cells or a special substance.
Usage pattern:
tolerance to [antigen or tissue]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'immune tolerance' means being able to 'tolerate' sickness better in a general sense. In medical use, it has a specific meaning: the immune system not reacting to certain things.
Synonyms
immunological tolerance (Technical term; full form of this concept in immunology.)
Antonyms
autoimmunity (The immune system attacking the body’s own tissues, which is what tolerance normally prevents.)
|
hypersensitivity (An excessive or inappropriate immune reaction instead of non-reaction.)
Collocations
immune tolerance
|self-tolerance
|oral tolerance
|tolerance to self-antigens
|induce immune tolerance
Themes
medicine
|science
|health
Examples
- Loss of self-tolerance can lead to autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
- The treatment aims to induce immune tolerance to the transplanted organ.
- Oral tolerance may explain why the immune system usually ignores food proteins.
Learner examples
- Immune tolerance stops the body from attacking its own cells.
- Some new drugs try to create tolerance to transplanted organs.
- When tolerance is lost, the body can attack itself.
Noun
technical
C2
quantity
6
organism’s range for conditions
The range of outside conditions, like heat or salt, that a plant, animal, or other living thing can live in.
Usage pattern:
tolerance to/for [environmental factor]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this scientific sense with a personal ability to endure discomfort. Here, 'tolerance' is about biological limits of species, not about human attitudes or feelings.
Synonyms
tolerance range (Emphasizes the span between minimum and maximum conditions.)
Antonyms
susceptibility (Tendency to be harmed by certain environmental factors.)
|
sensitivity (In ecology, means strong reaction or harm from certain conditions.)
Collocations
temperature tolerance
|drought tolerance
|salt tolerance
|tolerance range
|tolerance to cold
Themes
science
|environment
|nature
Examples
- This species has a narrow tolerance for changes in water temperature.
- Breeders are working to increase the drought tolerance of major crop plants.
- The study examined the salt tolerance of different coastal grasses.
Learner examples
- Cacti have a high tolerance to dry conditions.
- Fish have different tolerance ranges for water temperature.
- Some plants lose tolerance to cold when the climate gets warmer.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tolerance
IPA
GB/tˈɑlɚəns/
US/tˈɑlɚəns/
Syllables & stress
tol - er - ance (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (tol)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tolerance
- Plural: tolerance, tolerances
Word family
Forms
tolerances
noun
Related words
tolerable
adjective B2
tolerantly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
toleration
noun C1
tolerably
adverb C1
Expressions
build up a tolerance to
1/bˈɪld ˈʌp ə tˈɑlɚəns tə/
fixed phrase
gradually become used to a substance
To slowly become used to a drug, drink, or other substance so that it has less effect on you over time.
Examples
- Over the years he has built up a tolerance to caffeine and can drink coffee at night.
- Patients may build up a tolerance to the medication and need higher doses.
- You can easily build up a tolerance to sleeping pills if you take them every night.
develop a tolerance to
1/dɪvˈɛləp ə tˈɑlɚəns tə/
fixed phrase
start to become used to a drug
To start to have tolerance to a drug or other substance, so that it does not work as strongly as before.
Examples
- Some patients quickly develop a tolerance to painkillers.
- If you take these tablets every day, you may develop a tolerance to them.
- The study looked at how fast teenagers develop a tolerance to nicotine.
have a high tolerance for
1/hˈæv ə hˈaɪ tˈɑlɚəns fɚ/
fixed phrase
able to put up with a lot
To be able to accept or bear a lot of something, like pain, stress, or difficult people, without serious problems.
Examples
- Nurses often have a high tolerance for stress and long shifts.
- He has a high tolerance for alcohol and rarely gets drunk.
- You need a high tolerance for uncertainty to work in a startup.
have a low tolerance for
1/hˈæv ə lˈoʊ tˈɑlɚəns fɚ/
fixed phrase
not able to put up with much
To not be able to accept or bear very much of something, like pain, noise, stress, or bad behavior.
Examples
- I have a low tolerance for spicy food, so I always order mild dishes.
- She has a low tolerance for rude customers and gets upset quickly.
- Our team has a low tolerance for mistakes in safety checks.
promote tolerance
1/pɹəmˈoʊt tˈɑlɚəns/
fixed phrase
encourage people to be accepting
To try to make people more accepting of others who are different, and less prejudiced.
Examples
- The campaign aims to promote tolerance and understanding between communities.
- Schools can promote tolerance by teaching about different cultures.
- Art and music festivals are often used to promote tolerance and diversity.
show tolerance for
1/ʃˈoʊ tˈɑlɚəns fɚ/
fixed phrase
act in an accepting way
To behave in a way that accepts people or behavior that is different or difficult, instead of judging or punishing.
Examples
- Teachers are encouraged to show tolerance for different learning styles.
- We must show tolerance for cultural differences in international teams.
- Good parents show tolerance for small mistakes while setting clear rules.
teach tolerance
1/tˈit͡ʃ tˈɑlɚəns/
fixed phrase
educate people to accept others
To help people learn to accept and respect others who are different from them.
Examples
- Parents can teach tolerance by setting a good example at home.
- The program is designed to teach tolerance and reduce bullying in schools.
- Stories and games are used to teach tolerance to young children.
tolerance level
1/tˈɑlɚəns lˈɛvəl/
fixed phrase
amount that can be accepted
The amount or degree of something that a person, system, or rule can accept before there is a problem.
Examples
- Everyone has a different tolerance level for pain.
- We need to set a clear tolerance level for errors in this project.
- The noise is far above my tolerance level.
within tolerance
1/wɪðˈɪn tˈɑlɚəns/
fixed phrase
technical
inside the allowed limits
Not too big or too small; still inside the small difference that is allowed from the exact size or value.
Examples
- The part is slightly larger than the design, but still within tolerance.
- If the readings are within tolerance, the machine can continue to operate.
- All dimensions were found to be within tolerance after inspection.
zero tolerance
1/zˈɪɹoʊ tˈɑlɚəns/
fixed phrase
No exceptions policy for rules
A rule or law that does not allow any breaking of it at all.
Examples
- The school has a zero tolerance policy on bullying.
- The school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying.
- There is zero tolerance for drunk driving in this state.
- Many airlines now claim to have zero tolerance for violent passengers.
- The company announced zero tolerance toward sexual harassment in the workplace.