How to Pronounce Tolerance

Tolerance is pronounced TOL-er-anse. Say it like you're starting with the word "toll," then add "er" (like the sound at the end of "her"), and finish with "anse" (rhymes with "dance"). The stress falls on the first syllable: TOL.

The first syllable, TOL, gets the emphasis. Many people mistakenly stress the second syllable and say tol-ER-anse, but the correct way is TOL-er-anse with a strong emphasis on the beginning.

Tolerance breaks into three syllables: TOL-er-anse. You can tap your chin three times as you say it, once for each syllable, to feel the rhythm.

Tolerance means your body gets used to something so that you need more and more of it to feel the same effect. For example, if your body adjusts to something, it stops responding as strongly as it did before.

The word comes from the Latin word "tolerare," which means "to bear" or "to endure." This root gives the word its meaning of the body's ability to adjust and adapt to something over time.

Related words include "tolerate" (to endure or adjust to something) and "intolerance" (when the body cannot adjust or react badly). All three words come from that same Latin root meaning "to bear."

A common mistake is saying tol-ER-anse, putting the stress on the middle syllable instead of the first. Remember: the stress belongs on TOL, not on ER.

You might say: "After taking a medication for a long time, some people develop a tolerance to it." This means their body has adjusted, and the dose that once worked well no longer has the same effect.