intemperate
Americanadjective
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given to or characterized by excessive or immoderate indulgence in alcoholic beverages.
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immoderate in indulgence of appetite or passion.
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not temperate; unrestrained; unbridled.
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extreme in temperature, as climate.
adjective
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consuming alcoholic drink habitually or to excess
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indulging bodily appetites to excess; immoderate
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unrestrained
intemperate rage
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extreme or severe
an intemperate climate
Other Word Forms
- intemperance noun
- intemperately adverb
- intemperateness noun
Etymology
Origin of intemperate
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word intemperātus. See in- 3, temperate
Explanation
If a climate is intemperate, its temperatures might be extreme. If a person is intemperate, his moods might be extreme. Being intemperate is all about avoiding moderation. Intemperate is a combination of the prefix in- meaning "not" and the Latin temperantia meaning "moderation." When you are intemperate, you are not doing things in moderation; you lack self-control. It's often a word used when describing the tendency someone has to indulge excessively in liquor. An alcoholic is intemperate — overindulging and depending on alcohol.
Vocabulary lists containing intemperate
Behave Yourself! Vocabulary for Good, Bad, and Indifferent Conduct
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Chains
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Hamilton
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They can start with the easy stuff, the often intemperate and poorly researched opposition to everything he does.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Judge James Boasberg repeatedly clashed with justice department attorney Drew Ensign during a court hearing in Washington DC, saying he was not used to such "intemperate, disrespectful language" in government filings.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2025
As his critiques of Russia’s top military leaders grew more frequent and intemperate, he began to emerge as a public figure, insisting that his forces could do the job far better than the Russian regulars.
From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2023
Are we going to start kicking out churches who have pastors who are intemperate?
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2023
“Seeing him so intemperate, I knew you would not wish it. And I would not break my promise to you.”
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
