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temper

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word temper distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of temper are character, disposition, personality, and temperament. While all these words mean "the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group," temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations.

a resilient temper

When might character be a better fit than temper?

The meanings of character and temper largely overlap; however, character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents.

strength of character

When could disposition be used to replace temper?

The words disposition and temper can be used in similar contexts, but disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one.

a cheerful disposition

When is it sensible to use personality instead of temper?

While the synonyms personality and temper are close in meaning, personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person.

a somber personality

In what contexts can temperament take the place of temper?

Although the words temperament and temper have much in common, temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization.

an artistic temperament

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 temper
Noun
Declining gas prices helped temper the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 Trump was caught on a hot mic earlier in the day telling Macron that Putin wanted to find a resolution to bring an end to the war, though a Russian official later tempered those remarks. Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
Centered on Liam and Noel, Oasis also became known for on-stage temper tantrums and fractious breakups, the last in 2009. Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025 Although authorities learned that Robert had a temper and drove a car similar to one seen near the Hibbs’ home the day of the murder, he wasn’t arrested until 2022. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for temper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temper
Noun
  • The second reason is that these aura battler designs were very complex and full of curves as well as weird angles.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The result is an almost-black shade of mahogany that strikes the perfect balance of autumnal aura and goth feels.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The night was ruined by her boyfriend's bad mood.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Should the mood strike for a soirée fit for a king, the home’s living room and conservatory can easily accommodate 200 for a cocktail party.
    Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Her two pups are part of the Protection Sport Association, which competitively tests dogs in their obedience and protection skills through tests of their temperament and physical ability.
    Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
  • At the same time, the movie is a thrillingly airy and active vision of Brussels that maps Michèle’s precocious and ambitious temperament onto the cityscape.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno's experience could be instructive for future missions.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Some annealing quantum-type computers are already commercialized.
    Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • By the same token, inflation seems to be moderating.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Siblings or neighborhood acquaintances ask you to moderate a dispute as the moon and Mercury harmonize.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The atmosphere was celebratory, with Kirk tossing hats into the crowd before diving into questions.
    Amanda Castro Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This breathtaking image from James Sinclair gives us a detailed view of a section of the sun's atmosphere known as the chromosphere — a chaotic region where hydrogen and helium plasma is molded and reshaped by our star's ever-shifting magnetic field.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli were joined in spirit by Carrie Ann Inaba, who missed the premiere due to illness.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • In the spirit of functionality and the chair’s utilitarian history, brass buckles secure both the leather back and seat.
    Elissa Suh, Architectural Digest, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Dim lighting bounces off of soft pink tiles and warms the dining room, the bathrooms glow ocean blue, every inch of the space colored by the sisters’ sunny dispositions and their dedication to turning even the most low-key midweek dinner into an exercise in jubilant excess.
    The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy echoed that getting an MBA or having the biggest LinkedIn network might not help you in your career nearly as much as having a positive disposition.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Temper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temper. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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