Phrasal Verb: 'Put up with' (Tolerate)

This is what we call a three-part phrasal verb. You have a verb put. You have an adverb up. You have a preposition with. They are like a group of friends who refuse to be separated. In grammar terms, this means it is inseparable. You cannot put anything between these three words. You can't say "put it up with." That sounds like you are building a shelf. You must keep them together. The meaning is also idiomatic. If you look at the words individually, they make no sense. "Putting" something "up" "with" someone sounds like a strange physical act. But together, they mean "to tolerate." This phrasal verb always needs an object. You put up with something or someone. You cannot just say "I am putting up with." Your listener will wait for the end of the sentence. They will ask, "With what?" It is a transitive phrasal verb. It bridges the gap between your patience and the annoying thing. It is very common in spoken English. It is also perfect for informal emails. However, it is slightly less formal than tolerate. Use it when you want to sound like a local. It carries a sense of "I don't like this, but I am doing nothing to stop it."

1. 1Start with your Subject. This is the person doing the tolerating. I, You, The boss.
2. 2Add the verb put. Remember, put is irregular. The past tense is still put. The participle is also put.
3. 3Add the fixed pair up with. Do not change these. Do not omit with.
4. 4Finish with the Object. This can be a noun: the noise. It can be a person: my brother. It can also be a gerund (-ing form): waiting in line.
5. 5If you use a pronoun, it goes at the end: I put up with it.

Use put up with for things that are persistent. It is not for a one-second annoyance. It is for the neighbor who plays drums every night. Use it when you are talking about your job. Maybe you put up with a long commute because the salary is good. Use it in relationships. We all put up with our partners' weird habits. It is great for physical discomfort too. You might put up with a headache during a meeting. It is very useful for technology. We put up with slow apps and buggy software every day. It often appears in the negative. "I won't put up with this!" is a classic way to start an argument. It sounds strong and clear. Use it when you want to complain but also show that you have been patient. It implies a history of tolerance. You didn't just get annoyed. You have been dealing with it for a while.

Do not use put up with for things you enjoy. You don't put up with a delicious cake. That would be very strange. It is strictly for negative or neutral-but-annoying things. Also, do not use it for very serious crimes or trauma. You don't put up with a bank robbery. You witness it. Put up with is for annoyances, not life-threatening dangers. Avoid using it in extremely formal legal documents. In a court of law, use tolerate or endure. Don't use it if you are the one causing the problem. You don't put up with your own bad behavior. Others put up with you! Finally, don't confuse it with put up. If you put someone up, you are giving them a place to sleep. If you put up with them, you are tolerating their snoring while they stay in your guest room. One is kind; the other is a test of your patience.

One big mistake is trying to separate the verb. Many learners say "I put the noise up with." This is a grammar crime! Keep the trio together. Another mistake is forgetting the with. "I can't put up that" sounds like you can't hang a picture on the wall. Always include the with. Some people use the wrong preposition. They say "put up for" or "put up at." These change the meaning entirely. Watch out for the past tense. Because put doesn't change, learners often try to say "putted." Please don't do that. It will make your English teacher cry. Also, be careful with the gerund. Use put up with doing something, not put up with to do. "I put up with working late" is correct. "I put up with to work late" is a common trap. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. The with is the green light that tells you the object is coming. If you miss the light, the sentence crashes.

How is this different from tolerate? Tolerate is the cold, academic cousin. You use it in a science report or a formal letter to the city council. Put up with is the warm, conversational version. It feels more personal. What about stand? We usually use stand in the negative. "I can't stand him!" Stand is more emotional. It implies a visceral reaction. Put up with is more about the action of enduring. Then there is endure. Endure sounds epic. You endure a marathon or a winter in Siberia. You put up with a broken toaster. Endure suggests a great struggle. Put up with suggests a daily grind. There is also bear. Bear is quite old-fashioned or poetic. "I cannot bear the thought." You won't hear many people say "I am bearing the traffic" while driving to work. They will say they are putting up with it. Choosing the right one makes you sound sophisticated and precise.