If you describe something as tolerable, you mean that you can bear it, even though it is unpleasant or painful.
The levels of tolerable pain vary greatly from individual to individual.
He described their living conditions as tolerable.
Synonyms: bearable, acceptable, allowable, supportable More Synonyms of tolerable
tolerably (tɒlərəbli)adverb [usually ADVERB adjective/adverb, oft ADVERB after verb]
Their captors treated them tolerably well.
...tolerably hot water.
2. adjective
If you describe something as tolerable, you mean that it is fairly good and reasonably satisfactory, but not of the highest quality or standard.
[formal]
He fell asleep just past midnight with tolerable ease.
Is there anywhere tolerable to eat in town?
Synonyms: fair, O.K. or okay [informal], middling, average More Synonyms of tolerable
tolerablyadverb
He can see tolerably well and he can read.
tolerable in British English
(ˈtɒlərəbəl)
adjective
1.
able to be tolerated; endurable
2.
permissible
3. informal
fairly good
Derived forms
tolerableness (ˈtolerableness) or tolerability (ˌtoleraˈbility)
noun
tolerably (ˈtolerably)
adverb
tolerable in American English
(ˈtɑlərəbəl)
adjective
1.
that can be tolerated; endurable
2.
fairly good; passable
3. Informal
in reasonably good health
Derived forms
tolerability (ˌtoleraˈbility)
noun
tolerably (ˈtolerably)
adverb
Word origin
ME tollerabill < MFr tolérable < L tolerabilis
Examples of 'tolerable' in a sentence
tolerable
The only tolerable thing about them was when they went away.
Tepper, Sheri S. A Plague of Angels (1993)
Sharing the gnawing emptiness makes it more tolerable.
Christianity Today (2000)
It seems that their purpose in life is to try to make winter tolerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
To imagine that one could have done better may be more tolerable than to face the reality of utter helplessness.
Herman, Judith Lewis Trauma and Recovery (1992)
The perpetual darkness was barely tolerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It's just about tolerable until then.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
When the desire is so great, it is barely tolerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Without her beloved husband, life is only tolerable blurred.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
That other writers had the same experience didn't make it more tolerable.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
I only meant her to make a tolerable figure, without surpassing any one.
George Eliot Daniel Deronda (1876)
Privacy, that cornerstone of a tolerable life, is being squeezed from all sides.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Instead, central government sends substantial transfer payments to the parts of the union that have higher unemployment and lower incomes to make the union tolerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Life felt increasingly tolerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
tolerable
British English: tolerable ADJECTIVE
If you describe something as tolerable, you mean that you can bear it, even though it is unpleasant or painful.
Our living conditions are tolerable, but I can't wait to leave.
American English: tolerable
Brazilian Portuguese: tolerável
Chinese: 可忍受的
European Spanish: soportable
French: tolérable
German: erträglich
Italian: tollerabile
Japanese: 耐えられる
Korean: 견딜 만한
European Portuguese: tolerável
Latin American Spanish: tolerable
Chinese translation of 'tolerable'
tolerable
(ˈtɔlərəbl)
adj
(= bearable) 可忍受的 (kě rěnshòu de)
(frm, = fairly good) 相当(當)好的 (xiāngdāng hǎo de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
able to be put up with
He described their living conditions as tolerable.
Synonyms
bearable
A cool breeze made the heat pleasantly bearable.
acceptable
This was beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
allowable
It ought not to be allowable for anyone else to take the child.
supportable
endurable
sufferable
Opposites
unacceptable
,
intolerable
,
unbearable
,
insufferable
,
unendurable
2 (adjective)
Definition
fairly good
(informal)
Is there anywhere tolerable to eat in town?
Synonyms
fair
He had a fair command of English.
O.K. or okay (informal)
middling
They enjoyed only middling success until 1963.
average
I was only average academically.
all right
`How was the school you attended?' `It was all right.'
ordinary
The food here is cheap, but very ordinary.
acceptable
There was one restaurant that looked acceptable.
reasonable
The boy answered him in reasonable French.
good enough
adequate
One in four people are without adequate homes.
indifferent
She had starred in several indifferent movies.
not bad (informal)
These are not bad for cheap shoes.
mediocre
His university record was mediocre.
so-so (informal)
Their lunch was only so-so.
run-of-the-mill
I was a run-of-the-mill kind of student.
passable
The meal was passable, but nothing special.
unexceptional
a pretty unexceptional bunch of players
fairly good
fair to middling
Opposites
bad
,
awful
,
dreadful
,
rotten
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acceptable
Definition
able to be endured
This was beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
Synonyms
tolerable,
bearable,
allowable,
admissible,
supportable,
endurable,
sufferable
in the sense of acceptable
Definition
good enough
There was one restaurant that looked acceptable.
Synonyms
satisfactory,
fair,
all right,
suitable,
sufficient,
moderate,
good enough,
standard,
adequate,
so-so (informal),
tolerable,
up to scratch (informal),
passable,
up to the mark
in the sense of adequate
Definition
just enough in amount or just good enough in quality
One in four people are without adequate homes.
Synonyms
passable,
acceptable,
middling,
average,
fair,
ordinary,
moderate,
satisfactory,
competent,
mediocre,
so-so (informal),
tolerable,
up to scratch (informal),
presentable,
unexceptional
Synonyms of 'tolerable'
tolerable
Explore 'tolerable' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of all right
Definition
acceptable or satisfactory
`How was the school you attended?' `It was all right.'
Synonyms
satisfactory,
O.K. or okay (informal),
average,
fair,
sufficient,
standard,
acceptable,
good enough,
adequate,
so-so (informal),
up to scratch (informal),
passable,
up to standard,
up to the mark,
unobjectionable,
ALrIt,
ka pai (New Zealand)
in the sense of allowable
It ought not to be allowable for anyone else to take the child.