temper

American  

[tem-per] / ˈtɛm pər /

noun

tempers plural

1. a particular state of mind or feelings.

   Synonyms:

   point of view, perspective, outlook, inclination, attitude, humor, frame of mind, cheer

2. habit of mind, especially with respect to irritability or patience, outbursts of anger, or the like; disposition.

   an even temper.

   Synonyms:

   temperament, spirit, nature, makeup, habit, grain, disposition

3. heat of mind or passion, shown in outbursts of anger, resentment, etc.

   Synonyms:

   petulance, irritation, irritability, crossness, annoyance, resentment

4. calm disposition or state of mind.

   to be out of temper.

   Synonyms:

   composure, equanimity

5. a substance added to something to modify its properties or qualities.

6. Metallurgy.

   1. the degree of hardness and strength imparted to a metal, as by quenching, heat treatment, or cold working.

   2. the percentage of carbon in tool steel.

   3. the operation of tempering.

7. Archaic. a middle course; compromise.

8. Obsolete. the constitution or character of a substance.

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verb (used with object)

tempers, present (3rd person singular) tempered, past participle, past tempering present participle

1. to moderate or mitigate.

   to temper justice with mercy.

2. to soften or tone down.

3. to bring to a proper, suitable, or desirable state by or as by blending or admixture.

4. to moisten, mix, and work up into proper consistency, as clay or mortar.

5. Metallurgy. to impart strength or toughness to (steel or cast iron) by heating and cooling.

6. to produce internal stresses in (glass) by sudden cooling from low red heat; toughen.

7. to tune (a keyboard instrument, as a piano, organ, or harpsichord) so as to make the tones available in different keys or tonalities.

8. to modify (color) by mixing with a medium.

9. Archaic. to combine or blend in due proportions.

10. Archaic. to pacify.

verb (used without object)

tempers, present (3rd person singular) tempered, past participle, past tempering present participle

1. to be or become tempered.

temper British  

/ ˈtɛmpə /

noun

1. a frame of mind; mood or humour

   a good temper

2. a sudden outburst of anger; tantrum

3. a tendency to exhibit uncontrolled anger; irritability

4. a mental condition of moderation and calm (esp in the phrases keep one's temper, lose one's temper, out of temper )

5. the degree of hardness, elasticity, or a similar property of a metal or metal object

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verb

1. to make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate

   he tempered his criticism with kindly sympathy

2. to strengthen or toughen (a metal or metal article) by heat treatment, as by heating and quenching

3. music

   1. to adjust the frequency differences between the notes of a scale on (a keyboard instrument) in order to allow modulation into other keys

   2. to make such an adjustment to the pitches of notes in (a scale)

4. a rare word for adapt

5. an archaic word for mix

temper Idioms  

1. see hold one's temper; lose one's temper.

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Synonym Usage

See disposition. See modify.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• temperability
  noun
• temperer
  noun
• nontemperable
  adjective
• temperable
  adjective
• untemperable
  adjective
• untempering
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tempers
  plural

Participles

• tempering
  present
• tempered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• temper
  simple
• tempers
  simple
• have tempered
  perfect
• has tempered
  perfect
• am tempering
  progressive
• are tempering
  progressive
• is tempering
  progressive
• have been tempering
  perfect progressive
• has been tempering
  perfect progressive

Past

• tempered
  simple
• had tempered
  perfect
• was tempering
  progressive
• were tempering
  progressive
• had been tempering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will temper
  simple
• will have tempered
  perfect
• will be tempering
  progressive
• will have been tempering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of temper

before 1000; (v.) Middle English tempren, Old English temprian < Latin temperāre to divide or proportion duly, temper; (noun) Middle English: proportion, derivative of the v.

Explanation

Temper can refer to a tendency to become unreasonably angry. If you’re not sure whether you have a temper, ask your friends — but don’t get mad if you dislike what they have to say. Temper has a number of related yet distinct meanings. In addition to describing a tendency to anger, temper can also refer to one’s mood in general; if you use the word in this sense, you might describe someone's temper as "angry" or "mild." Temper can also be used as a verb meaning “to restrain.” If you have a nasty temper, you might try tempering your temper by counting to ten whenever you’re tempted to throw a "temper tantrum," or fit.

Example Sentences

Appeared in the October 18, 2025, print edition as 'Banks Temper Slowdown Fears, Porsche Seeks CEO'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

If you don’t have a car, the True Temper mountain mover shovel is perfect for clearing off your sidewalk, and maybe your neighbor’s, too.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2023

Temper enthusiasm because of the the competition, but there are signs of progress for the defense.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 10, 2021

Temper tantrums, poor impulse control, short attention spans, knowledge deficits, oppositional behavior, aversions to new things, too much time looking at TV or tablets or smart phones and related behavior.

From Salon • Aug. 6, 2020

As it was, Jefferson had become a man “poisoned by ambition and his Temper embittered against the Constitution and the Administration.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• abate
• allay
• alleviate
• assuage
• cool
• curb
• dilute
• ease
• lessen
• mitigate
• mollify
• restrain
• soften
• soothe
• tone down
• weaken