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Showing results for temperamental. Search instead for untemperamental.
Synonyms

temperamental

American  
[tem-per-uh-men-tl, -pruh-men-, -per-men-] / ˌtɛm pər əˈmɛn tl, -prəˈmɛn-, -pərˈmɛn- /

adjective

  1. having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament.

  2. moody, irritable, or sensitive.

    a temperamental artist.
    Synonyms:
    emotional, volatile, excitable

  3. given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.

  4. of or relating to temperament; constitutional.

    temperamental differences.
temperamental British  
/ -prəˈmɛntəl, ˌtɛmpərəˈmɛntəl /

adjective

  1. easily upset or irritated; excitable; volatile

  2. of, relating to, or caused by temperament

  3. informal working erratically and inconsistently; unreliable

    a temperamental sewing machine
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nontemperamental adjective
  • nontemperamentally adverb
  • temperamentally adverb
  • untemperamental adjective
  • untemperamentally adverb

Etymology

Origin of temperamental

First recorded in 1640–50; temperament + -al 1

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.

"But young stars are so extremely spotty, active, and temperamental, that the Doppler method is a non-starter."

From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026

Netflix has appealed to investors over the past decade precisely because it has been able to focus on streaming without the baggage of managing a declining cable-TV business and dealing with a temperamental theatrical market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

The temperamental 2022 Wimbledon finalist, one of tennis's most dynamic players when at the top of his game, makes his comeback at the season-opening Brisbane International.

From Barron's • Jan. 3, 2026

"He was definitely a lot more aggravated, a lot more temperamental, very edgy," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2025

Their respective genealogies also created temperamental and stylistic contrasts.

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

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.