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put up with

to tolerate

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

to accept or tolerate something unpleasant without complaining; to endure something annoying or difficult

Examples

• I can't put up with that noise any longer.
• She has to put up with her roommate's messy habits.

How to use put up with

Put up with is a phrasal verb used when someone reluctantly accepts an unpleasant situation or person's behavior. It suggests resignation rather than active acceptance, and typically implies the person is being patient despite finding something irritating. It's less formal than tolerate but more expressive of mild frustration.

Register: informal

Common phrases

• put up with nonsense
• put up with noise
• put up with bad behavior
• have to put up with
• won't put up with

Synonyms

tolerate · endure · bear · stand · accept

Opposites

reject · refuse

A common mistake

Learners often confuse it with 'put up' alone or forget the 'with' preposition, writing 'put up something' instead of 'put up with something'.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

point out, pull off, put off, rule out, run into, run out of

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained