What does “temper” mean?
- 1
nouna tendency to become angry easily, or a sudden angry mood
He has a terrible temper.
- 2
verbto make something less strong or extreme, formally
She tempered her criticism with praise.
Temper at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun & verb
- CEFR level
- B2 (upper intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈtɛmpər/ · TEM-per
How to use “temper” correctly
“Lose your temper” = get angry; “keep your temper” = stay calm. The verb “temper” is formal and means “soften”.
Common phrases with “temper”
- lose your temper
- keep your temper
- a short temper
- temper tantrum
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- rage
- mood
- moderate
Word family
- temperament
- temperamental
- bad-tempered
“temper” is on these word lists
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