temperamental
Americanadjective
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having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament.
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moody, irritable, or sensitive.
a temperamental artist.
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given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.
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of or relating to temperament; constitutional.
temperamental differences.
adjective
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easily upset or irritated; excitable; volatile
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of, relating to, or caused by temperament
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informal working erratically and inconsistently; unreliable
a temperamental sewing machine
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of temperamental
First recorded in 1640–50; temperament + -al 1
Explanation
If your moods change quickly and dramatically, people might describe you as temperamental. If you weren't so temperamental, maybe your friends would open up to you more. Did I say something wrong? The adjective temperamental can also be used to describe objects that behave unpredictably. A temperamental air conditioner can make for a long, hot summer. Fortunately, you're not temperamental or you might have smashed it to bits by now. The second “e” in temperamental gets swallowed so that it sounds like "temp-ra-MENT-al" (four syllables).
Vocabulary lists containing temperamental
Into the Wild
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The Lightning Thief
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This Week In Culture, April 26–May 2, 2020
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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.
I’d also feel temperamental if Saturday Night Live made a meal out of jokes about my turkey neck week after week.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
"But young stars are so extremely spotty, active, and temperamental, that the Doppler method is a non-starter."
From Science Daily ● Jan. 31, 2026
At the other end of the temperamental spectrum is Paul Giamatti, whose perpetually furious Nus Braka, space pirate, has a grudge against the Federation and was instrumental in the imprisonment of Caleb’s mother.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
Writer-director Lotfy Nathan’s inspiration is an apocryphal 2nd century text called the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which purports to describe the incident-filled childhood of a temperamental Jesus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025
Her long confinement in the mews, while she moulted, had got her into a sulky and temperamental state.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
