intolerant

adjective

in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˌ)in-ˈtä-lə-rənt How to pronounce intolerant (audio)
-ˈtä--rənt
1
: unable or unwilling to endure
2
a
: unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially in religious matters
b
: unwilling to grant or share social, political, or professional rights : bigoted
3
: exhibiting physiological intolerance
lactose intolerant
intolerantly adverb
intolerantness noun

Examples of intolerant in a Sentence

intolerant of fools, she is not an easy person to work for intolerant people who callously deny others the very rights that they take for granted
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At its height, the nu-metal scene — dominated by cisgender white men— was seen as unforgiving, dangerous, and intolerant of women and people of color. Jessi Roti, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025 But as the Modi government grew increasingly intolerant of any criticism or challenge, including from overseas, Indian laws that regulate the flow of foreign donor funds into domestic nonprofits grew more stringent and were applied more frequently. Anupreeta Das, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2025 Many in Washington doubt the new incarnation of the group has truly eschewed terrorism or abandoned an intolerant and rigid ideological worldview. Robert S. Ford, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2025 The American people need to know that Lin-Manuel Miranda is intolerant of people who don't agree with him politically. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intolerant

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intolerant was circa 1735

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Cite this Entry

“Intolerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intolerant. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

intolerant

adjective
in·​tol·​er·​ant (ˈ)in-ˈtäl-(ə-)rənt How to pronounce intolerant (audio)
1
: unable or unwilling to endure
2
: unwilling to grant equality, freedom, or other social rights
intolerantly adverb

Medical Definition

intolerant

adjective
in·​tol·​er·​ant
(ˈ)in-ˈtäl(-ə)-rənt
: exhibiting physiological intolerance : unable to properly metabolize or absorb a substance
People who are lactose intolerant cannot digest lactose because their small intestines do not produce enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks lactose down …Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue

More from Merriam-Webster on intolerant

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