zero tolerance
/ˌzɪəroʊ ˈtɒlərəns/
Meaning
Zero tolerance refers to a policy of punishing all breaches of a rule, regardless of how minor they are or what the circumstances might be. It implies that no excuses or mitigating factors will be accepted. It is commonly used in corporate policies, safety regulations, and legal contexts.
Examples
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Our company has a zero tolerance policy toward workplace harassment of any kind.
Our company has a zero tolerance policy toward workplace harassment of any kind.
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The manufacturing plant enforces zero tolerance for safety violations on the assembly line.
The manufacturing plant enforces zero tolerance for safety violations on the assembly line.
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The school board announced zero tolerance for cheating during final exams.
The school board announced zero tolerance for cheating during final exams.
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They operate a zero tolerance approach to late submissions for this project.
They operate a zero tolerance approach to late submissions for this project.
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Any employee caught sharing confidential client data will face our zero tolerance policy.
Any employee caught sharing confidential client data will face our zero tolerance policy.
Common Mistakes
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✗ We have zero tolerance of latecomers.
✓ We have zero tolerance for latecomers.
The preposition that follows zero tolerance is typically 'for' (or 'policy toward/on'), not 'of'.
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✗ The manager is very zero tolerance about safety.
✓ The manager has a zero tolerance policy regarding safety.
Zero tolerance is a noun phrase, not an adjective. You cannot use it directly to describe a person without 'has a' or 'enforces a'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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The IT department has ________ for unauthorized software installations on work laptops.
💡 A policy of absolutely no exceptions or excuses.
Show answer
zero tolerance
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Our HR department implements a ________ policy regarding discrimination in the hiring process.
💡 Refusal to accept any level of a specific behavior.
Show answer
zero tolerance