tolerable

[tol-er-uh-buh l] /ˈtɒl ər ə bəl/

adjective

capable of being tolerated; endurable:

His arrogance is no longer tolerable.

fairly good; not bad.

Informal. in fair health.

Origin

1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin tolerābilis, equivalent to tolerā(re) to endure + -bilis -ble

Related forms

tolerableness, tolerability, noun

tolerably, adverb

nontolerable, adjective

nontolerableness, noun

nontolerably, adverb

untolerable, adjective

untolerableness, noun

untolerably, adverb

Synonyms

1. bearable, supportable. 2. passable, middling, indifferent, so-so.

Examples from the web for tolerable

If this were done merely in marketing materials, it might be tolerable.
And perhaps it is tolerable to so many because it has become so familiar.
Many will say that nothing more than zero radioactive releases is ever tolerable.
Improved phone ergonomics make longer calls tolerable.
They make all the weird travel experiences tolerable.
Rather, there are often small things you can do that will make things more tolerable.
But because such mistakes are rare, they are tolerable.
So instead of curing cancer, he suggests doctors aim to stabilize the tumor at a tolerable size.
But all that might have been tolerable if participants had been observed as they compared the candidates' proposals and positions.
But the currency itself may help keep the gap in growth rates tolerable.

British Dictionary definitions for tolerable

tolerable

/ˈtɒlərəbəl/

adjective

able to be tolerated; endurable

permissible

(informal) fairly good

Derived Forms

tolerableness, tolerability, noun
tolerably, adverb

Word Origin and History for tolerable

adj.

early 15c., "bearable," from Middle French tolerable (14c.), from Latin tolerabilis "that may be endured," from tolerare "to tolerate" (see toleration). Meaning "moderate, middling, not bad" is recorded from 1540s. Related: Tolerably.