temper synonyms

temper

n.

  1. State of mind

    disposition, temperament, frame of mind, humor; see mood 1.

  2. An angry state of mind

    furor, ire, passion; see anger, rage 2.

  3. The quality of being easily angered

    impatience, excitability, touchiness, sourness, sensitivity, fretfulness, peevishness, irritability, ill-humor, acerbity, petulence, irascibility, crossness, churlishness, pugnacity, sullenness, tartness, grouchiness*, huffiness*, cantankerousness*.

    Antonyms patience*, calmness*, equanimity. *

  4. The quality of induced hardness or toughness in materials

    tensile strength, sturdiness, hardness; see firmness 2, strength 1.

  5. Composure

    equanimity, poise, tranquility; see composure.

keep one's temper

remain calm, control oneself, compose oneself, not become angry; see restrain 1.

lose one's temper

become angry, get mad, fly off the handle*, go bananas*; see rage 1. See syn. study at mood, disposition.

temper

v.

  1. To soften or qualify

    mitigate, pacify, moderate, abate, mollify, curb, restrain; see also ease 1, 2, soften 2.

    Antonyms attack*, violate injure.

  2. To toughen or harden

    steel, anneal, braze, bake, chill, stiffen, caseharden, cement, vulcanize, solidify, congeal, indurate, starch, petrify, mold, set, dry, toughen up*; see also strengthen.

    Antonyms melt, dissolve, soften.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.