Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🐶 Sick with virus 😵 Unhealthy state 🎨 Painted with distemper
distempered

distempered

8.5
In a disturbed state of mind or health
  • adjective
  • /dɪsˈtɛmpərd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : perturbado
  • The patient was in a distempered condition, showing signs of anxiety and depression during the evaluation.

Examples

  • She became a mirror in which we saw our own distempered faces, and they were ugly.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • After months of stress, his mind felt distempered and chaotic, making it hard to focus on anything.

  • Her distempered emotions made it difficult for her to enjoy the party, as she felt overwhelmed by her thoughts.

Synonyms

sick
vsdistempered
∞ 1.0

Not well because of illness

focuses more on a disordered, unhealthy state especially of mind
ill
vsdistempered
170 2.3

Harmful or likely to cause suffering

refers to an internal disordered or unhealthy state, not general harm
mentally ill
vsdistempered
  • Vulgar
77 3.4

Having a serious problem with thinking, feeling, or behaving because of a brain condition

is a broader label for disordered or unhealthy mental or bodily states
disturbed
vsdistempered
37 3.8

Feeling upset or worried and unable to think clearly

is broader, covering mental trouble and unhealthy bodily states
unhinged
vsdistempered
  • Offensive
27 7.8

A person who is not thinking or acting in a normal and safe way

denotes a less extreme disordered or unhealthy condition rather than severe breakdown
dysphoric
vsdistempered
  • Specialized
1 9.2

Feeling very unhappy, uneasy, and restless inside

applies more widely to disordered mental or unhealthy bodily conditions
discomposed
vsdistempered
8.3

Feeling upset and not calm inside

describes a deeper disordered or unhealthy state rather than brief unease

Antonyms

calm
735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

healthy
695 1.0

In good body and mind condition without sickness or injury

How Disturbed

deranged
  • Offensive
77 7.6
disturbed
37 3.8
distempered
  • Archaic
8.5
upset
∞ 1.0
uneasy
98 3.2
calm
735 1.0

Surface Forms

distempered positive

Morphology

distempered = distemper (semi-transparent) = distemper + ed

Built from 'distemper' + '-ed' but the meaning 'in a disturbed or disordered state' is an extended/literary sense rather than the primary disease sense, so inference by learners is uncertain.

Etymology

Distempered comes from dis- 'not' and temper 'mood' or 'balance'. It literally means 'not in balance', so it is used for a disturbed or unhealthy mind or body and for someone who feels unsettled or in a bad state.