tolerable

/ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/

//ˈtɑləɹəbl̩// adj

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

"tolerable" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tolerable” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #25,235 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#25,235
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Capable of being borne, tolerated or endured; bearable or endurable.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tolerable vs tolerate
78% similar
tolerable vs tolerance
78% similar

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

Key facts for tolerable
PropertyValue
Headwordtolerable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/
Letters9
Frequency rank#25,235
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tolerable” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for tolerable is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #25,235 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for tolerable, with forms such as "otlerable", "tloerable", and "toelrable". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "tolerate", "tolerance", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English tolerable, borrowed from Middle French tolerable, from Latin tolerābilis. The correct English form is tolerable, spelled T-O-L-E-R-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Capable of being borne, tolerated or endured; bearable or endurable.
  2. 2
    Moderate in degree; mediocre; passable, acceptable or so-so.
  3. 3
    Such as to be tolerated or countenanced; permissible; allowable.
  4. 4
    In fair health; passably well.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English tolerable, borrowed from Middle French tolerable, from Latin tolerābilis.

Antonyms

intolerable

This word in other languages

tolerable(Español)tolérable(Français)erträglich(Deutsch)sofrível(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: otlerable,tloerable,toelrable,tolearble,tolerabble,tolerabel,tolerablle,toleralbe,tolerbale,tolerible,tolerrable,tollerable,tolreable,ttolerable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

otlerable2tloerable2toelrable2tolearble2tolerabble1tolerabel2tolerablle1toleralbe2
Edit distance from "tolerable"

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 "tolerable"?
"tolerable" is spelled T-O-L-E-R-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/.
What does "tolerable" mean?
As an adjective, "tolerable" means: Capable of being borne, tolerated or endured; bearable or endurable.
What words are commonly confused with "tolerable"?
"tolerable" is commonly confused with "tolerate", "tolerance". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tolerable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tolerable" is /ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/. 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 "tolerable"?
Inherited from Middle English tolerable, borrowed from Middle French tolerable, from Latin tolerābilis. 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.

Using “tolerable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-L-E-R-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tolerate” - see the side-by-side comparison. tolerable vs tolerate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list