temperamental
/ˌtemprəˈmentl/ (bre, ipa) · [tˌɛmprəmˈɛntəl] /ˌtemprəˈmentl/ (ame, ipa) · [tˌɛmprəmˈɛntəl] /ˌtem-p(ə-)rə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce temperamental (audio) ˌtem-pər-ˈmen-/ (ame, mw)
temperamental — adjective
- temperamentalpositive
- more temperamentalcomparative
- most temperamentalsuperlative
1. A temperamental person's mood can shift very quickly and for no clear reason — t
A temperamental person's mood can shift very quickly and for no clear reason — they may be calm one moment and angry, upset, or excited the next, making it hard for others to predict their reactions.
When Dahlia has not had enough sleep, she becomes rather temperamental and snaps at everyone around her.
become + temperamental + when [trigger]
The director's temperamental behaviour confused the crew — he praised their work one day and shouted at them the next.
temperamental behaviour: contrast pattern
Jiwoo admitted that she could be temperamental, especially when she felt misunderstood by her classmates.
Kofi never knew what mood his temperamental boss would be in when he arrived at the office each morning.
Even the children noticed that their grandfather grew more temperamental after he retired from work.
- moody
more common in everyday speech; focuses on being in a bad mood rather than any sudden switch
- volatile
stronger; implies a potentially dangerous or explosive change in mood
- mercurial
more formal and literary; suggests quick, surprising changes
- erratic
broader — can describe behaviour, not just mood; does not carry the emotional charge
- even-tempered
describes someone who stays calm and does not get angry or upset easily
- stable
broad opposite; describes a person whose mood does not change suddenly
文法句型
temperamental + about + noun/gerund (trigger)
get/become + temperamental
用法筆記
Commonly describes people whose mood changes are seen as part of their personality rather than a reaction to a specific situation. The person is often difficult for others to deal with because of this unpredictability.
常見錯誤
2. Relating to or resulting from a person's inborn emotional and mental nature — th
Relating to or resulting from a person's inborn emotional and mental nature — the qualities that make each person react differently to the same situation because of who they are, not because of outside events.
The twins showed clear temperamental differences from birth — one was calm while the other cried constantly.
temperamental + differences / traits / characteristics
Noor believed that her preference for quiet evenings at home was a temperamental quality rather than a learned habit.
Felipe's intense emotional reactions were partly temperamental and partly shaped by his upbringing.
The study examined temperamental factors that make some children more patient than others in waiting for a reward.
- innate
more general; means present from birth, not necessarily about emotional nature
- constitutional
very formal; refers to the fundamental make-up of a person
- inherent
broader; means a quality that is a permanent part of something or someone
- natural
simpler and more common; may not specifically refer to personality
文法句型
temperamental + noun (trait / characteristic / difference / factor)
temperamental + preference / tendency / disposition
用法筆記
This sense is more objective and scientific than Sense 1. It does not carry a negative judgement — it simply describes traits that come from a person's basic nature. Frequently used in psychology, child development, and personality research.
常見錯誤
3. If a machine, piece of equipment, or system is temperamental, it does not always
If a machine, piece of equipment, or system is temperamental, it does not always work correctly — it may run smoothly for a while and then suddenly stop, fail, or behave oddly, often for no obvious reason.
The old van was so temperamental that Eli had to carry spare parts everywhere he went.
so temperamental + that + result clause
Heather's temperamental laptop often shut down without warning in the middle of a video call.
temperamental + computer / printer / phone / tablet
The heating system in the apartment is temperamental — some rooms get boiling hot while others stay ice cold.
Mathieu warned his new housemates that the washing machine was temperamental and often stopped mid-cycle.
Yan tapped the temperamental projector gently until the blurry image finally came into focus on the classroom screen.
- unpredictable
broader; can describe people, machines, or situations without the humorous tone
- erratic
suggests behaviour that follows no pattern; more technical for machines
- unreliable
more direct and negative; someone or something you cannot depend on
- glitchy
informal, often used for software or digital devices; suggests small, temporary problems
- reliable
a device you can trust to work correctly every time
- dependable
similar to reliable, with a slightly warmer tone
- consistent
describes something that performs the same way every time
文法句型
so temperamental + that + clause
temperamental + noun (machine / car / phone / laptop / system)
用法筆記
Often used with mild humour or frustration — the speaker implies the device has a 'personality' of its own. It is less strong than 'broken' or 'faulty' and suggests the problem is occasional rather than constant. People often pair it with physical actions like tapping or adjusting the device.