intolerable

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​a·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl 

-ˈtäl-rə-,

-ˈtä-lər-bəl

1

: not tolerable : unbearable

intolerable pain

2

: excessive

intolerability

(ˌ)in-ˌtä-lə-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

-ˌtäl-rə-

-ˌtä-lər-

noun

intolerableness

(ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-bəl-nəs 

-ˈtäl-rə-

-ˈtä-lər-bəl-

noun

intolerably

(ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rə-blē 

-ˈtäl-rə-

-ˈtä-lər-blē

adverb

Synonyms

• insufferable
• insupportable
• unbearable
• unendurable
• unsupportable

Examples of intolerable in a Sentence

She divorced him on the grounds of intolerable cruelty.

this stifling heat is intolerable

Recent Examples on the Web

Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society. —Ars Technica, 21 Jan. 2025

With support and treatment, Danielle came through what had seemed, at those times, to be intolerable and wanted to keep on living. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2025

If half of your life is intolerable, simply free yourself from it. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025

The calculation in warfare has always been relatively straightforward: whichever side first finds intolerable the pain of battle will likely be conquered. —Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin intolerabilis, from in- + tolerabilis tolerable

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

intolerable

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​a·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-bəl 

-ˈtäl-ər-bəl

: not tolerable : unbearable

intolerable pain

intolerability

(ˌ)in-ˌtäl-(ə-)rə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

intolerably

(ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rə-blē 

-ˈtäl-ər-blē

adverb