1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of temperance
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
The movie clip reveals how much temperance, humanity, and transcendence Mary Jackson needs to navigate a system that has embedded injustices that few see or understand.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There were many episodes about temperance, women's suffrage and Jim Crow laws this season on the series, all historical elements that brought great change and chaos to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
As a side note to this pledge, some temperance pledges allowed for beer and wine.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for temperance
Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025
The movie clip reveals how much temperance, humanity, and transcendence Mary Jackson needs to navigate a system that has embedded injustices that few see or understand.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There were many episodes about temperance, women's suffrage and Jim Crow laws this season on the series, all historical elements that brought great change and chaos to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
As a side note to this pledge, some temperance pledges allowed for beer and wine.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for temperance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperance
Noun
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During this time, fish fry dinners are very popular, as fish are excluded from the abstinence of meat.—
Jelissa Burns,
Freep.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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In December 2025, the University of Michigan released results from its annual Monitoring the Future survey of more than 20,000 students nationwide, showing record levels of abstinence.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But by practicing moderation, parents can model smart technology habits for their kids.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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The attorneys general of Louisiana and Kentucky have filed lawsuits against the company, and recently Florida's attorney general subpoenaed Roblox for information about its age verification and chat moderation policies.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For individuals in recovery, those internal and external pressures can collide with the neurological and emotional challenges of early sobriety.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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Gregg said sobriety took a back seat to his more immediate needs, such as finding food and a bed in a shelter.—
Aaron Bolton,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Eberflus’ best intentions and vision for winning football disintegrated due in part to his team’s lack of discipline and the coaching staff’s inability to steer out of even the smallest skids.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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However, the Chinese researchers argue that those systems typically focus on fewer disciplines and often require manual adjustments when expanded.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The civil suit alleged the restraint lasted eight minutes.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Per state guidelines and Ohio Administrative Code, physical restraint must be used as a last resort and only when there is an immediate risk of physical harm to the student or others.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The pelvic floor supports the pelvic organs (the bladder, uterus and bowel), controls the body’s continence mechanisms and helps with core stability.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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The pelvic floor muscles need to work in a coordinated pattern, relaxing to allow urine to flow and contracting to maintain continence, said Alexis E. Te, MD, a professor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Verywell.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Old family patterns or inner-child wounds could surface, not to derail you, but to remind you that leadership doesn’t mean emotional self-denial.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
21 Dec. 2025
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Saint Anthony was an Egyptian monk whose relics were brought to France during the Crusades in the Middle Ages, after inspiring many people to take up seclusion and self-denial.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Temperance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperance. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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