tempered
Americanadjective
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having a temper or disposition of a specified character (usually used in combination).
a good-tempered child.
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Music. tuned in accordance with some other temperament than just or pure temperament, especially tuned in equal temperament.
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made less intense or violent, especially by the influence of something good or benign.
justice tempered with mercy.
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properly moistened or mixed, as clay.
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Metallurgy. of or relating to steel or cast iron that has been tempered.
adjective
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music
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(of a scale) having the frequency differences between notes adjusted in accordance with the system of equal temperament See temperament
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(of an interval) expanded or contracted from the state of being pure
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(in combination) having a temper or temperament as specified
ill-tempered
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tempered
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at temper, -ed 2, -ed 3
Explanation
Whether referring to steel or a person's spirit, the word tempered describes something strengthened, balanced, or moderated through the influence of heat, hardship, or some counteracting force. The word tempered originates from the Latin temperare, meaning "to mix in due proportion." In a workshop, a blacksmith creates tempered steel by heating and cooling the metal to achieve the ideal balance of hardness and flexibility. Beyond the forge, the word describes people who have grown resilient through enduring life's hardships. But the word can also describe a softening of something harsh by a moderating influence, as sorrow may be tempered by kindness or justice tempered with mercy.
Vocabulary lists containing tempered
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.
"And the line he walks is razor-fine / Tempered strength is always tough / But he ain't gonna buckle under the weight of the badge."
From Fox News • Oct. 28, 2021
Tempered, as with the “Classical” Symphony with wit and sophistication, as well as Prokofiev’s sensation sense of theater, we’re hooked.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2021
Tempered chocolate will then be poured in 3½-pound increments into bowls where inclusions are added before it is then poured into slabs and broken into Joe’s signature shards.
From Seattle Times • May 23, 2019
Tempered chocolate cut into abstract shapes and sprinkled with edible gold dust is carefully positioned around and, like a seesaw, on top of the mousse — with chocolate caramel ganache as its fulcrum.
From Washington Post • Feb. 5, 2019
Shrewd advocate and councillor keen, You knew the world, yet pitied it; Compassion mild, not cynic spleen Tempered the edge of caustic wit.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 104, January 7, 1893 by Burnand, F. C. (Francis Cowley), Sir
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.
