German word

tolerant

Pronunciation

IPA/toləˈʁant/

Meaning

  • adjectivetolerant

Example

Wir brauchen tolerante Menschen.

We need tolerant people.

Illustration for tolerant (tolerant)

More examples

Eine tolerante Gesellschaft schützt Minderheiten.

A tolerant society protects minorities.

Core concept

A wide doorway remains open to people and views that do not match the usual standard.

Common phrases

  • eine tolerante Gesellschaft

    a tolerant society

  • tolerant gegenüber Minderheiten

    tolerant toward minorities

Similar words

verständnisvoll: Sensitive to another person's circumstances and feelings, with a wish to understand.
nachsichtig: Forgiving toward minor errors and not demanding strict accountability.
aufgeschlossen: Open-minded and curious about new things and views that differ from familiar ones.

Definition in German

Eine Haltung, die Unterschiede akzeptiert und nicht streng beurteilt.

Word origin

Tolerant is a learned borrowing based on Latin tolerans, from tolerare 'to bear,' and is related to German Toleranz.

Usage tips

  • Tolerant can describe a permissive attitude without implying agreement, so it does not always correspond to approving or accepting a view.

Other meanings

  • permissiveadjective
  • acceptingadjective
  • lenientadjective

Opposites

  • intolerantintolerantadjective
  • ausgrenzendexclusionaryadjective

Related words

  • Toleranzgrenzetolerance thresholdnoun
  • Toleranzbereitschaftwillingness to toleratenoun

Word lists with this word