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
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
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
Those interviewed for this article – whose backgrounds range from science to politics – have found that humanity, honesty, compassion, humility, and temperance are needed in these frank conversations.
—Stephen Humphries, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
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
Those interviewed for this article – whose backgrounds range from science to politics – have found that humanity, honesty, compassion, humility, and temperance are needed in these frank conversations.
—Stephen Humphries, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for temperance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperance
Noun
-
They are sought out by patients who want to stop inhaling smoke, who can’t tolerate withdrawal, or who have failed repeatedly with abstinence-only approaches.—
Timothy Vermillion,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are known as obligatory days of abstinence.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Modern French wellness is about moderation, not deprivation.—
Hannah Seligson,
Vanity Fair,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The United States Food and Drug Administration has noted a link between kava consumption and rare instances of liver damage, so moderation is recommended.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Arnold started his sobriety journey in 2014 and called country legend Charlie Daniels for help with his addiction.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Which means so was his sobriety, now two years and counting.—
Andrew Callahan,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As the discipline grew in popularity, Warren’s students began to take home trophies from tournaments across the country and internationally.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Winter Olympics are in full swing in Italy, and athletes from 93 countries are competing in 16 disciplines across eight sports.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Maryland’s budget process is designed to promote transparency and fiscal restraint.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The verdict signals that prolonged prone restraint during mental health crises is dangerous, potentially changing how juvenile detention centers handle distressed teens.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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 15 Feb. 2026.
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