zero tolerance

noun

: a policy of giving the most severe punishment possible to every person who commits a crime or breaks a rule
The police announced that there will be zero tolerance for looters.
The camp has a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy.

Examples of zero tolerance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Homan said there will be zero tolerance for interfering, impeding or assaulting officers. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Jan. 2026 Booz Allen has zero tolerance for violations of the law and operates under the highest ethical and professional guidelines. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Keane loved Polinsky’s insistence on inclusiveness, respect for the governor down to the most obscure staffer, and zero tolerance for those disrespectful to rank-and-file workers. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026 Driving home its message of zero tolerance for instability at its border, Riyadh launched airstrikes on a UAE shipment in Yemen on Tuesday and backed the Yemeni government’s call for UAE forces to leave the country. Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for zero tolerance

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Cite this Entry

“Zero tolerance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero%20tolerance. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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