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
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
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Recent Examples of distemper
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
The bear tested negative for rabies and distemper.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025
Dogs must be spayed (if 6 months or older) or neutered (if 12 months or older), up to date on shots including rabies, distemper, and Bordetella, and must be good around other dogs.
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Samples collected from the bear were sent to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Arkansas Department of Health to test for distemper and rabies.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distemper
Noun
Per Cook County ordinance, dog owners also must submit their dogs' vaccine records — with proof of their dogs' vaccines or titers (antibodies) for rabies, distemper (CFV), hepatitis (Canine Adenovirus-2), parainfluenza (CPIV), parvovirus (CPV), leptospirosis, and Bordetella (kennel cough).
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
The bear tested negative for rabies and distemper.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025
Dogs must be spayed (if 6 months or older) or neutered (if 12 months or older), up to date on shots including rabies, distemper, and Bordetella, and must be good around other dogs.
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Samples collected from the bear were sent to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Arkansas Department of Health to test for distemper and rabies.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distemper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distemper
Noun
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Researchers still do not fully understand why some women with endometriosis struggle to conceive while others do not, and treating the disease does not reliably restore fertility.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Reddy told Fox News Digital that salmonella bacteria can only be killed by cooking a raw egg — and the disease's symptoms include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While the prevalence of carfentanil still pales in comparison to fentanyl, experts are nevertheless alarmed by the increase of a substance researched for years as a chemical weapon and deployed by Russian forces on Chechen separatists in 2002.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The alerts were triggered by the severe thunderstorm moving through the area, alarming some residents who were unaware the city’s siren system now also goes off when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Infected animals typically do not show signs of illness.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Due to a mix of injuries, illness and Paul George’s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, Philadelphia had all of its top four players (Embiid, George, Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe) available for just 20 games this season.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In such environments, gravitational encounters can pair black holes together or disturb existing pairs, leading to the mixed spin orientations and more complex motion seen in the data.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
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Werner said there is one charge, an accusation of participating in an encampment that disturbed university operations, which violates the faculty code of conduct.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Brown was ruled out with Achilles tendonitis, the same ailment that sidelined him for wins over Atlanta and Charlotte late last month.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
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Autoimmune diseases—a broad and complex category of ailments including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes—have long puzzled researchers.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Voters are also distressed by the decline in their quality of life, as well as the country’s muddled political landscape – a fact indicated by the twenty candidates for president alone.—
Djenane Villanueva,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Ecru denim also made an appearance, baggy and distressed for a grittier winter look.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And this one guy at this one firm can't solve all of his industry's ills.—
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
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Even as professional coders are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the power of AI coding tools, many end users still see them as a boogeyman to instantly blame for any and all observed ills in the tech industry.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The administration doesn’t actually bother to project deficits and public debt over the next decade.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
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In 2019, the band’s bassist and founding member, Steve Harris, told Rolling Stone the fact that the band wasn’t yet inducted at the time didn’t bother him.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distemper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distemper. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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