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
Rather, the term has come to stand for a range of attributes—intemperance, ordinariness, outsiderness, likability, spontaneity—that aren’t especially related philosophically, either to authenticity or to one another.
—
Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 June 2026
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
Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intemperance
Noun
-
Edwards is a good, kind, and loyal friend, but also struggles with depression and alcoholism.—
Kelly Martinez,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
The 71-year-old never knew his father and was raised by a mother struggling with alcoholism.—
Shannon McCaffrey,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
This excessiveness can hinder critical knowledge building because of the sheer amount of information that can be accessed simultaneously at any time.—
Carmen Daniela Maier,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Stylish excesses are dialed back as cleaner camerawork, steadier editing and Farrell’s tender narration let the character breathe, blending sci-fi curiosity with classic detective-story stakes.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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And some creators, like Yeezy, see their right to print guns as an essential bulwark against the darkest excesses of America’s current government.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intemperance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intemperance. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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