Understanding ‘Tolerable’: A Word for Bearable Situations
Learn about the adjective ‘tolerable’, its meaning, history, and usage. Discover how to correctly use this word to describe situations that are endurable but not necessarily enjoyable. Perfect for expanding your vocabulary and improving your language skills.
Imagine you’re at a family gathering, and your aunt keeps pinching your cheeks. It’s not enjoyable, but you can put up with it for a few hours.
That’s exactly what our word of the day, tolerable, means.
Word type: Tolerable is an adjective.
Meaning:
Tolerable means able to be endured or accepted, even if not particularly enjoyable or desirable. It describes something that is bearable or moderate in degree.
Word history: The word tolerable comes from the Latin word tolerabilis, which means able to be endured.
It entered the English language in the fifteenth century, derived from the verb tolerate, meaning to allow or to endure.
Antonyms: Some antonyms of tolerable include intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, and insufferable.
Synonyms:
Synonyms for tolerable include acceptable, bearable, endurable, passable, and satisfactory.
Examples use in sentences:
The food at the cafeteria was tolerable, not great but not terrible either. Despite the noise from the construction site, the working conditions were still tolerable.
The pain after the surgery was tolerable with the prescribed medication. Common errors in use: One common mistake is confusing tolerable with tolerant.
While tolerable describes something that can be endured, tolerant refers to a person who is willing to accept or respect different opinions or behaviors.
Another error is using tolerable when you actually mean good or enjoyable. Remember, tolerable implies that something is just barely acceptable, not necessarily pleasant.
To wrap up, tolerable is a useful word to describe situations or experiences that are not ideal but can be endured.
It’s a nuanced term that can help you express yourself more precisely in your SAT essays and beyond.
Keep practicing with words like tolerable, and you’ll find your vocabulary becoming not just tolerable, but truly impressive.
