Bearable means something you can tolerate or endure, even though it's unpleasant or difficult. When a situation is bearable, you can handle it without breaking down, even if you're not enjoying it.

Think about waiting in line on a hot day. If there's some shade and a breeze, the heat might be bearable, meaning you can stand it. But if there's no shade and you're getting dizzy, the heat becomes unbearable: too much to handle. A long car ride becomes bearable when you have music or games to pass the time. A hard workout is bearable when you know you're getting stronger.

The word comes from bear, meaning to carry or endure something heavy or difficult. When you make something bearable, you're finding ways to cope with it. A boring task becomes more bearable when you work with a friend. Medicine might make pain bearable while an injury heals.

Notice that bearable doesn't mean good or pleasant. It means manageable. You might describe a rainy camping trip as barely bearable or say that your little brother's singing is just bearable. The opposite, unbearable, describes something so difficult or unpleasant that you simply can't take it anymore.