immoderate

Immoderate is an adjective describing actions, desires, or emotions that exceed reasonable bounds; it denotes a lack of moderation and implies excess or intemperance in behavior, appetite, or speech. The term is often used to characterize conduct that is considered excessive or imprudent, and it typically carries a negative connotation. Immoderate behavior stands in contrast to moderate or temperate conduct, which is restrained and proportionate.

Etymology traces immoderate to Middle English immoderate, from Old French immoderé, from Latin immoderatus, formed with im- “not” + moderatus “restrained.” The word has retained a formal, sometimes literary tone in modern English.

Usage and nuance: Immoderate is more likely to appear in ethical, religious, or formal discussions than in everyday speech. It can describe zeal, appetite, spending, or rhetoric that lacks self-control or balance. In critique, immoderate actions are seen as harmful to oneself or others, whereas moderation is valued as a prudent constraint. Examples include “immoderate zeal,” “immoderate spending,” or “immoderate anger.” The related noun, immoderation, denotes the state or quality of being immoderate.

See also: intemperance, excess, moderation, self-control, zeal.