intolerant

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Not willing to accept people or ideas that are different from your own.

   Grammar: Often followed by 'of' before the person or thing you refuse to accept.

   Patterns

   • intolerant of someone
   • intolerant of something
   • intolerant toward someone

   He is intolerant of anyone who disagrees with him.

   An intolerant society punishes people for their beliefs.

   She was raised in an intolerant community that rejected outsiders.

2. 2adjectivenot comparablemedical

   Unable to eat or use a particular substance without becoming ill.

   Grammar: Used mainly in medical contexts, usually followed by 'to' or 'of'.

   Patterns

   • intolerant to something
   • intolerant of something

   Many adults are intolerant to lactose and avoid milk.

   She is intolerant of gluten, so she checks every label.

   If you are intolerant to a food, your body reacts badly to it.

Common combinations

intolerant of

The manager was intolerant of any mistakes.

intolerant to

He is intolerant to certain antibiotics.

intolerant attitude

Their intolerant attitude drove away many members.

become intolerant

People can become intolerant when they feel threatened.

Synonyms and how they differ

bigoted

Stronger and more disapproving; it suggests active prejudice, not just unwillingness to accept.

narrow-minded

Focuses on a lack of openness to new ideas, while intolerant stresses refusal to accept difference.

allergic

Used for physical reactions; intolerant is broader and can also mean social unwillingness.

Opposites

Word family

intolerance noun

The state of being unwilling to accept differences or unable to process a substance.

tolerantly adverb

In a way that shows willingness to accept differences (formed from tolerant).

Commonly confused: intolerant or intolerable?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “intolerant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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