TEMPERANCE Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

temperance

noun

ˈtem-p(ə-)rən(t)s

Definition of temperance

as in temperateness

an avoidance of extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits my father attributes his ripe old age to temperance in all things, especially eating and drinking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in abstinence

voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites practices a blue-blooded temperance that his parvenu neighbors will never understand

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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 temperance These are ideal rulers who exhibit all of the great virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, temperance and moderation. — Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 22 Feb. 2026 The financial incentive for airports and airlines to serve alcohol precludes temperance as a solution. — Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025 Indiana is staunchly conservative, but its Republicans tend to foster a deliberate temperance. — Isabella Volmert, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025 The temperance movement, which aimed to reduce alcohol use, gained steam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. — Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for temperance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperance

Noun

In any case, OpenAI’s breach of Hugging Face is both a cautionary tale of lack of guardrails on the offensive side and over moderation on the defensive side.

— Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Instead of focusing primarily on content moderation, companies should treat identity as the new security perimeter, defending against bots, fake accounts and falsified identities.

— Larry Magid, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Definition of moderation

Noun

To qualify for grants, organizations must now teach that abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy.

— Ellie Austin, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Over six months, recurrent atrial fibrillation or flutter occurred less frequently in the coffee group than in the abstinence group.

— Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of abstinence

Noun

The show, will bring together work by over forty artists working across a multitude of different disciplines, including textiles, installation, video, painting and sculpture.

— News Desk, Artforum, 27 July 2026
Where the category lands depends on formulation discipline, tolerance and how quickly the science catches up to the marketing.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of discipline

Noun

Romo was reportedly stopped on a highway and performed poorly on field sobriety tests, FOX6 in Milwaukee reported.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
According to the police report, first obtained by FOX6, Romo performed poorly on the field sobriety test, which led to his arrest.

— Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026

Definition of sobriety

Noun

It’s often affected by pressure changes in the abdominal cavity, particularly in pregnant or obese persons, which in turn affect urination and continence.

— Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
After the second session, the authors reported that the woman had even greater speech capabilities, more facial expressions and humor, increased walking agility and continued continence.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026

Definition of continence

Noun

Automatic contributions, delayed payment windows, small rituals that add friction to impulse spending — these are all behavioral architecture moves, not acts of self-denial.

— Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
At the beginning of her relationship with John, Carolyn’s central problem was that being part of the Kennedy family demanded some level of self-denial.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026

Definition of self-denial

Noun

Her vocation requires the skill of transformation and self-abnegation, as well as a receptiveness to language and emotion not her own.

— Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
The audience responds gratefully to this level of self-abnegation, and the frankly chilling sounds that come out of her.

— Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024

Definition of self-abnegation

Browse Nearby Words

temperaments

temperance

temperas

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“Temperance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperance. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of temperance

noun

Example Sentences

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