Cool MateBe patient vs Bear vs Endure vs Tolerate
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Be patient
Bear
Endure
Tolerate
| Be patient | Bear | Endure | Tolerate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //biː ˈpeɪʃənt//🇺🇸 //bi ˈpeɪʃənt// | 🇬🇧 /["/beə(r)/","/beəz/","/bɔː(r)/","/bɔːn/","/ˈbeərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ber/","/berz/","/bɔːr/","/bɔːrn/","/ˈberɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ɪnˈdjʊə//🇺🇸 //ɪnˈdʊr// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈtɒləreɪt/","/ˈtɒləreɪts/","/ˈtɒləreɪtɪd/","/ˈtɒləreɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈtɑːləreɪt/","/ˈtɑːləreɪts/","/ˈtɑːləreɪtɪd/","/ˈtɑːləreɪtɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Wait calmly without getting angry or upset. | a large wild animal with thick fur that lives in the forest | to continue to exist or stay strong in difficult situations | To accept something unpleasant without complaining. |
| Example | You need to be patient while the cake is baking. | I can't bear the thought of losing my best friend. | She had to endure a long and painful recovery after the surgery. | I can tolerate cold weather, but I prefer warmer climates. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 | C1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb | verb | |
| Collocations | be patient with someone, be patient during delays, please be patient, learn to be patient, try to be patient | be able to, can, be unable to | endure pain, endure difficulties, endure hardships, endure the test of time, endure suffering | barely, just, merely, be unable to, cannot, not be prepared to, barely, just, merely, be unable to, cannot, not be prepared to, readily, well, poorly, be unable to, cannot, will not |
| Antonyms | - | yield, surrender | give up, surrender, yield | reject, insist, oppose |
| Common mistakes | Use in contexts where impatience is clearly shown., Confuse with 'be hasty', which means to rush., Forget to use in situations requiring calmness. | Confusing 'bear' as a verb meaning to carry with the animal., Using the wrong article, e.g., 'a bear' instead of 'the bear' when referring to a specific bear. | Confusing with 'endure' and 'endured' - remember the tense., Using 'endure to' instead of 'endure something' - wrong preposition., Mixing up 'endure' with 'endure with' - incorrect phrase. | Confused with 'endorse' — tolerate means to accept, not to support., Using intransitively (e.g., 'I tolerate' without an object)., Mixing up with 'put up with' — tolerate is more formal. |
| Usage notes | Use 'be patient' when advising someone to wait without frustration. Appropriate in both formal and informal settings. | Use 'bear' when talking about the animal. Avoid using it in a metaphorical sense unless context is clear. | Used to describe a persistent effort in facing hardships. In formal contexts, it can relate to situations of suffering or challenges. Avoid in casual speech unless referring to minor annoyances. | Used in everyday conversation and writing. It's appropriate in neutral and formal contexts, but can sound weak in informal contexts where stronger emotions are expected. |
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Frequently asked questions: Be patient vs Bear vs Endure vs Tolerate
What's the difference between Be patient, Bear, Endure, and Tolerate?
Be patient: Wait calmly without getting angry or upset. Bear: a large wild animal with thick fur that lives in the forest Endure: to continue to exist or stay strong in difficult situations Tolerate: To accept something unpleasant without complaining.
Which is more common: Be patient, Bear, Endure, and Tolerate?
Bear is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Be patient: You need to be patient while the cake is baking. Bear: I can't bear the thought of losing my best friend. Endure: She had to endure a long and painful recovery after the surgery. Tolerate: I can tolerate cold weather, but I prefer warmer climates.
Can I use Be patient, Bear, Endure, and Tolerate interchangeably?
Not always. Be patient, Bear, Endure, and Tolerate are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.