tolerate

/ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/

//ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt// verb

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

"tolerate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tolerate” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,115 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,115
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To allow or permit without explicit approval, usually if it is perceived as negative.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tolerate vs tolerant
75% similar
tolerate vs tolerance
78% similar
tolerate vs tolerable
78% similar

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

Key facts for tolerate
PropertyValue
Headwordtolerate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,115
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tolerate” 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). tolerate 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 tolerate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,115 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for tolerate, with forms such as "otlerate", "tloerate", and "toelrate". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "tolerant", "tolerance", "tolerable", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole. The correct English form is tolerate, spelled T-O-L-E-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To allow or permit without explicit approval, usually if it is perceived as negative.
  2. 2
    To bear, withstand.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole.

Synonyms

countenancehaveabearabideabyacceptallowbearbidebrookdreeendureforbeargo along withlive withpasspocketpouchput up withstandstickstomachsufferswallowtaketake sitting downtholetolerateundergangundergo

Antonyms

chafediscriminatelose one's temperprohibitragesnap

This word in other languages

tolerar(Español)tolérer(Français)tolerieren(Deutsch)tolerar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: otlerate,tloerate,toelrate,tolearte,toleraet,toleratte,tolerrate,tolertae,tollerate,tolreate,ttolerate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

otlerate2tloerate2toelrate2tolearte2toleraet2toleratte1tolerrate1tolertae2
Edit distance from "tolerate"

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 "tolerate"?
"tolerate" is spelled T-O-L-E-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/.
What does "tolerate" mean?
As a verb, "tolerate" means: To allow or permit without explicit approval, usually if it is perceived as negative.
What words are commonly confused with "tolerate"?
"tolerate" is commonly confused with "tolerant", "tolerance", "tolerable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tolerate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tolerate" is /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/. 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 "tolerate"?
Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole. 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 “tolerate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-L-E-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tolerant” - see the side-by-side comparison. tolerate vs tolerant
  • 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