DISTEMPER Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

distemper 1 of 2

noun

Definition of distemper

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning contracted some tropical distemper while he was doing research in the jungles of Borneo

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

distemper

2 of 2

verb

dis-ˈtem-pər

as in to alarm

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy despite his career success, he has been distempered by nagging feelings of inadequacy his whole life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of distemper

Noun

Most vets use combination products that include distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus (DHP), then give a separate rabies vaccine (often at the same time as DHP). — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026 According to the shelter, staff had already been monitoring for signs of distemper due to cases reported in surrounding counties. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026

Verb

Mother had purchased a new bed and armoire for his room, and the walls were freshly distempered. — Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distemper

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distemper

Noun

Along with treatment for eligible accidents and illnesses, the policy covers veterinary exam fees, hereditary and congenital conditions, dental diseases, behavioral issues and alternative therapies.

— Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
There have been periods when the human population declined because of wars or epidemics, such as the Black Death, in the fourteenth century, or the diseases brought by Europeans to the Americas in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

— Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of disease

Verb

Coolly, Violet responds that to avoid alarming the public, a few agitators have beenneutralized—now there’s a sticky euphemism—and their deaths passed off as revenge killings among drug traffickers.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
That move sparked enormous street protests in Israel, and alarmed many Israeli citizens overseas.

— Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of alarm

Noun

Rescued from the streets of Long Beach while battling an upper respiratory illness, Smokey is now on the mend and absolutely loving indoor life.

— Maryanne Dell, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
In June, the trio went on a vacation that was initially scheduled for December and had been rescheduled because of his illness.

— News Editor, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of illness

Verb

The end result has given rise to an insidious and often disturbing form of violence that wins victims’ trust before preying upon them or coercing them into hurting others – for money, for social media clout or sometimes for no reason at all.

— Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 10 Nov. 2026
How to Remove Dead Annuals From the Garden Many annuals are shallow-rooted and easily removed from the garden, but be careful not to disturb the roots of nearby perennials.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of disturb

Noun

Right-hander Ben Brown underwent cervical spine surgery Monday in New York to address the recurring neck ailment that ended his stellar season in mid-June.

— Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
And there’s reason to believe there might have been one or two more ailments.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of ailment

Verb

The drummer said she was distressed by the paucity of water stations available, and feared the triple-digit heat was a risk for fans.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Zara Larsson packed five looks into 24 hours in New York, with enough platforms, strappy sandals and distressed denim to outfit a few nights out in the 2000s.

— Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

Humor and/or wit feature in your work to address serious issues of the heart or to comment on the socio-political ills of the world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
Hilton has blasted Becerra as taking the state’s voters for granted, failing to hold public campaign events to explain his detailed plans to address California’s many ills.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of ill

Verb

In fact, the movie doesn’t even bother revealing Fang’s ultimate fate; but then again, he’s been fully vindicated in the court of public opinion, so who cares?

— Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
Nothing shows the world that the outside noise doesn’t bother you quite like preparing a statement ahead of time about how much the outside noise doesn’t bother you.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of bother

Browse Nearby Words

distastes

distemper

distemperature

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distemper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distemper. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distemper

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on distemper

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

boilerplate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes