1
as in alcoholism
habitual or excessive drinking of intoxicants
in his harangue on the perils of drink, the prohibitionist claimed that intemperance has always been the number one destroyer of marriages
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessiveness
a propensity for extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits
there's a wearisome intemperance in his verbal attacks against any and all who dare to disagree with him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intemperance
The power to issue absolute pardons, explicitly stipulated in the founding document, has been exploited with bipartisan intemperance.
—
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
But in 1832, people believed cholera was linked to intemperance and vice, which were thought to weaken the body.
—William E. Watson, The Conversation, 1 Aug. 2025
Johnson was also a movement candidate, propelled into office by energized unions, frustrated progressives, and backlash from decades of police intemperance and economic inequality.
—Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
In a situation that forbids explicit expressions of intemperance or protest, mischief is the perfect solution.
—New York Times, 7 June 2022
Over a career that made headlines for landmark victories such as a six-figure judgment, later reversed, against LAPD Chief Daryl Gates, Yagman also became notorious for intemperance, most pointedly evidenced by his brutal characterization of a federal judge.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2021
Her attention to the vibrancy of our inner lives and to the barbed pleasure of sentimental intemperance has lately become more explicit.
—Rachelvoronacote, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
The intemperance alienated some suffragists, and by 1875, when Anthony drafted the amendment that would bear her name, the movement had split.
—USA Today, 26 Feb. 2020
Acton, whose Catholicism shaped every facet of his thought and work, identified this excess with a certain kind of Protestant intemperance.
—Yuval Levin, National Review, 31 Dec. 2019
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
But in 1832, people believed cholera was linked to intemperance and vice, which were thought to weaken the body.
—William E. Watson, The Conversation, 1 Aug. 2025
Johnson was also a movement candidate, propelled into office by energized unions, frustrated progressives, and backlash from decades of police intemperance and economic inequality.
—Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
In a situation that forbids explicit expressions of intemperance or protest, mischief is the perfect solution.
—New York Times, 7 June 2022
Over a career that made headlines for landmark victories such as a six-figure judgment, later reversed, against LAPD Chief Daryl Gates, Yagman also became notorious for intemperance, most pointedly evidenced by his brutal characterization of a federal judge.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2021
Her attention to the vibrancy of our inner lives and to the barbed pleasure of sentimental intemperance has lately become more explicit.
—Rachelvoronacote, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
The intemperance alienated some suffragists, and by 1875, when Anthony drafted the amendment that would bear her name, the movement had split.
—USA Today, 26 Feb. 2020
Acton, whose Catholicism shaped every facet of his thought and work, identified this excess with a certain kind of Protestant intemperance.
—Yuval Levin, National Review, 31 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intemperance
Noun
-
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — the first speaker, as drawn by lot — spoke of his upbringing in a home riven by alcoholism and domestic violence.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
-
This is a group for people who have been impacted by another person’s alcoholism.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The goal is not to eliminate necessities, but to remove the excess that clutters both your space and your mind.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Start with a dry face, massage it in to loosen things up, then apply water to emulsify, and reach for a washcloth to get rid of any excess.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intemperance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intemperance. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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