“tolerate”

To suffer through something difficult or unpleasant without giving way.

“She endured his endless monologues with the quiet patience of a saint.”

Best for: Works well in dramatic or emotionally weighted contexts; slightly more intense than tolerate.

To accept or allow something, typically used in negative constructions.

“He would brook no interference in his carefully laid plans.”

Best for: Formal and forceful; especially effective in negative phrases like 'brook no.'

To accept or put up with something one finds unpleasant or offensive.

“She could barely stomach his smug expression across the conference table.”

Best for: Visceral and punchy; great for conveying genuine disgust or reluctance.

To accept or act in accordance with something disagreeable.

“He could not abide the smell of cigarette smoke in his pristine apartment.”

Best for: Slightly old-fashioned but widely understood; suits formal or literary prose.

To accept, support, or approve of something, often reluctantly.

“The committee refused to countenance any proposal that bypassed due process.”

Best for: Formal and authoritative; best in legal, political, or institutional writing.

To permit or endure something or someone unwelcome, in an archaic sense.

“She suffered fools not at all, which made department meetings a spectacle.”

Best for: Archaic usage that adds gravitas or irony; memorable in literary or rhetorical contexts.