How to use temperance in a sentence

13 example sentences · noun

Temperance means habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence. Example: “But there was no one to shake Nero into temperance.”

Examples of temperance by meaning

nounHabitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate...

temperance in eating and drinking
temperance in the indulgence of joy
But there was no one to shake Nero into temperance.2007, Susan Wise Bauer, “The Problem of Succession”, in The History of the Ancient World, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, page 729

nounModeration, and sometimes abstinence, in respect to using intoxicating liquors.

Public-houses, besides their usual exhortation against temperance reform, invited men to “Join our Christmas goose club”—one bottle of gin, etc., or two, according to subscription.1908–1910 (date written; published 1910 October 18), E[dward] M[organ] Forster, “Christmas Shopping”, in Howards End, 1st American edition...
Evangelists organized an association for each issue—temperance, education, Sabbath observance, antidueling, and later antislavery; collectively these groups formed a national web of benevolent and moral reform societies.1986, Mary Beth Norton; David M. Katzman; Paul D. Escott; Howard P. Chudacoff; Thomas G. Paterson; William M. Tuttle, Jr., A People and a...

More sentences with temperance

Dismal Jemmy's con artistry estranges the cautionary temperance tale in two crucial ways.2018, Amanda Claybaugh, The Novel of Purpose, page 63. From the entry con artistry
Given long-standing drinking customs among the Irish at home and abroad, temperance was a difficult prospect.2002, Mike Cronin, Daryl Adair, “Famine and Exodus”, in The Wearing of the Green: A History of St Patrick’s Day, London; New York, N.Y.…. From the entry wet the shamrock
The idea that the body could spontaneously ignite was promoted by the 19th-century temperance movement.1998 May 26, C. Claiborne Ray, “Q&A; Spontaneous Combustion”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 04 Nov 2023. From the entry spontaneously
Early closing was introduced during World War One, when wartime patriotism and austerity and a general temperance mood impelled its introduction.2007, D. Kirkby, T. Luckins, Dining On Turtles: Food Feasts and Drinking in History, Springer, →ISBN, page 93. From the entry six o'clock swill
The temperance movement also exacerbated ethnic tensions.1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry for Freedom, Oxford, published 2003, page 133. From the entry moral suasion
The temperance movement was driven by women, but we let ourselves be written out of that because it gave us a bad name.2018 April 11, Zoe Williams, “What's the best way to get written out of history? Be a middle-aged woman”, in The Guardian. From the entry write out
Footpadded and austere, a temperance leader, he slumps in torpid reverie over a sea of blistering dunes, yet easily is tamed, the Britannica says, because he's stupid.2015, Jonathan F. S. Post, A Thickness of Particulars: The Poetry of Anthony Hecht, →ISBN. From the entry footpadded
In modulating his voice, that is, Canin has chosen a character whose temperance might be admirable among the living but is less engaging when encountered in literature.2008 June 28, Art Winslow, “Ethan Canin's "America, America"”, in Chicago Tribune, archived from the original on 21 May 2009. From the entry wear on one's sleeve

Meaning of temperance

noun Habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence.
noun Moderation, and sometimes abstinence, in respect to using intoxicating liquors.
noun Moderation of passion; calmness.

Full definition of temperance

Questions about temperance in a sentence

How do you use temperance in a sentence?: Temperance is used as a noun. For example: “But there was no one to shake Nero into temperance.”
What is a short sentence with temperance?: “temperance in eating and drinking”
What does temperance mean?: Temperance means habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence.

Adapted from Wiktionary: temperance (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use temperance in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/temperance. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.