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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
He’s now deemed heroic in adhering to the Seven Virtues -- faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
—
Brian T. Allen, National Review, 24 Apr. 2025
Franklin’s virtues are: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.
—Michael Maguire, Boston Herald, 19 Aug. 2024
Supporters aligned with the temperance movement used Weston’s walks to advance their agenda—since Weston was a teetotaler, sponsors and cheerleaders trumpeted his feats as evidence that sobriety was healthy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for temperance
Brian T. Allen, National Review, 24 Apr. 2025
Franklin’s virtues are: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.
—Michael Maguire, Boston Herald, 19 Aug. 2024
Supporters aligned with the temperance movement used Weston’s walks to advance their agenda—since Weston was a teetotaler, sponsors and cheerleaders trumpeted his feats as evidence that sobriety was healthy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for temperance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperance
Noun
-
Those returning to meat after long-term abstinence may experience digestive discomfort at first, according to WikiHow's guide on how to eat meat after being vegetarian.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
-
Early-stage fatty liver disease can reverse within weeks, while longer-term abstinence may even reverse some of the fibrosis.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The 57-year-old former Olympic athlete is said to have smelled of alcohol, slurred her words and failed a field sobriety test.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
-
Smith reportedly failed a field sobriety test and had a blood alcohol content of 0.073.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Conclusion: Designing For Clarity In A Complex World In a world of accelerating change, the leaders who succeed won’t be those who do the most, but those who do what matters, with clarity and discipline.—
Aditii Handa,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
-
As the oldest form of art, storytelling has existed since the very beginning of time across culture, and at the crux of many creative disciplines.—
Nia Shumake,
Essence,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Still, progressive proponents of the ERA demanded that some legal loophole must exist to circumvent those restraints.—
Sarah Bedford,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
-
Intense hostility all around means that for now, neither Russia nor China is even willing to sit down to discuss nuclear restraints, in treaty form or otherwise.—
Matthew Bunn,
The Conversation,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
This includes the five major types: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, and functional continence.—
Jamin Brahmbhatt,
Verywell Health,
29 July 2024
-
Good posture helps maintain continence, support pelvic organs, and reduce back pain.—
Staci Tanouye,
Parents,
29 Aug. 2023
Noun
-
But the biblical term for self-denial – inui – has another meaning.—
Rabbi Avi Weiss,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Oct. 2024
-
The Ford Focus Electric, with its appealing, Euro-hatchback lines, lacks the frumpy feel of self-denial often associated with electric cars.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 Mar. 2012
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
Cite this Entry
“Temperance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperance. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share