intolerable

/ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/

//ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"intolerable" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intolerable” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,316. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,316
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not tolerable; not capable of being borne or endured.

Corpus desk

Index EN-intolerable · intolerable · English

intolerable · rank #23,316 · 17 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,316
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH insurrection

Nearest frequency peer: insurrection (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “intolerable”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “intolerable” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

intolerable vs intolerance
82% similar
intolerable vs inoperable
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for intolerable
PropertyValue
Headwordintolerable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/
Letters11
Frequency rank#23,316
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “intolerable”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).intolerablelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “insurrection” (#23,315), “ironman” (#23,317), “infestation” (#23,314). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “intolerable” is #23,316. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around intolerable (IPA /ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #23,316 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for intolerable, with forms such as "inntolerable", "inotlerable", and "intloerable". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "intolerance", "inoperable", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English intolerable, borrowed from Middle French intolerable, from Latin intolerābilis. By surface analysis, in- + tolerable. The correct English form is intolerable, spelled I-N-T-O-L-E-R-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not tolerable; not capable of being borne or endured.
  2. 2
    Extremely offensive or insulting.
  3. 3
    Extremely worn and degraded, to the point of being unsafe.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how intolerable appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. It is an intolerable sound that sets spoons tinkling in saucers and windowpanes vibrating.
  2. “I call on all citizens of Berlin and across Germany to wear the yarmulke (as the skullcap is known in Yiddish) next Saturday if there are new, intolerable attacks targeting Israel and Jews on the occasion of Al-Quds Day in Berlin,” said Felix Klein in a statement.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English intolerable, borrowed from Middle French intolerable, from Latin intolerābilis. By surface analysis, in- + tolerable.

This word in other languages

intolerable(Español)intolérable(Français)unerträglich(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • inntolerable
  • inotlerable
  • intloerable
  • intoelrable
  • intolearble
  • intolerabble
  • intolerabel
  • intolerablle
  • intoleralbe
  • intolerbale
  • intolerible
  • intolerrable
  • intollerable
  • intolreable
  • inttolerable
  • itnolerable
  • nitolerable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of intolerable - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

inntolerable1inotlerable2intloerable2intoelrable2intolearble2intolerabble1intolerabel2intolerablle1
Edit distance from "intolerable"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intolerable"?
"intolerable" is spelled I-N-T-O-L-E-R-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/.
What does "intolerable" mean?
As an adjective, "intolerable" means: Not tolerable; not capable of being borne or endured.
What words are commonly confused with "intolerable"?
"intolerable" is commonly confused with "intolerance", "inoperable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intolerable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intolerable" is /ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "intolerable"?
Inherited from Middle English intolerable, borrowed from Middle French intolerable, from Latin intolerābilis. By surface analysis, in- + tolerable. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "intolerable", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

infestation#23,314hairdresser#23,291particulars#23,352pretentious#23,367

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

insurrection17 variantsrudimentary17 variantsdisarmament17 variantsconsecrated17 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list