Word of the Day

: March 1, 2009

immoderate

adjective im-MAH-duh-rut

What It Means

: exceeding just, usual, or suitable bounds

immoderate in Context

The budget buffet attracted customers with immoderate appetites but limited pocketbooks.

Did You Know?

"Immoderate," "excessive," "inordinate, "extravagant," "exorbitant," and "extreme" all mean going beyond a normal limit. "Immoderate" suggests a lack of desirable or necessary restraint ("immoderate spending"). "Excessive" implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable ("excessive punishment"). "Inordinate" implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment ("inordinate pride"). "Extravagant" implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste ("extravagant claims for the product"). "Exorbitant" has connotations of a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree ("exorbitant prices"). "Extreme" may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable, but commonly means only to a notably high degree ("extreme shyness").