What does immoderateness mean?
Immoderateness means a lack of restraint, proportion, or self-control. It describes conduct, demands, emotions, or expressions that become excessive or unreasonable because they are not kept within sensible limits. The word is especially common in formal writing: one might criticize the immoderateness of a speech, the immoderateness of someone's anger, or the immoderateness of a campaign's spending. It is more pointed than excessiveness alone, since it suggests not merely a large amount but a failure of balance or moderation. The term can apply to both material and emotional behavior, from overindulgence to extravagant emotional expression. Although “excess” and “excessiveness” are often adequate in less formal contexts, “immoderateness” adds a tone of disapproval and emphasizes the idea of disproportion.
nounThe quality or condition of being excessive, unreasonable, or beyond the proper limits of moderation. It refers to behavior, amounts, or attitudes that are not properly controlled or restrained.
- Excessive or unreasonable lack of restraint in conduct, feeling, or expression.
- A degree or condition of being beyond a proper or reasonable limit.
"The committee rejected the proposal because of the immoderateness of its demands."
"Her immoderateness in spending eventually led to serious financial difficulties."
"The report criticized the immoderateness of the rhetoric used during the debate."
The plural is possible but uncommon; the word is normally used in the singular or in abstract constructions such as “a degree of immoderateness.”
"The novel explores the different forms of immoderatenesses in public life."
Immoderateness comes from the same Latin idea as a moderator: keeping something within proper measure. Its opposite is moderation, but too much of either can undermine judgment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does immoderateness come from?
Immoderateness is formed from the adjective “immoderate,” which means excessive or beyond reasonable limits, together with the suffix “-ness.” The underlying Latin root “moderari” meant “to keep within measure” or “to moderate,” and gave rise to words such as “moderate,” “moderation,” and “moderator.” The prefix “im-” has the negating force “not,” so “immoderate” originally expressed the opposite of being moderate or properly regulated.
Related word forms
How immoderateness is actually used
More common in formal or elevated writing than in everyday speech. It is typically used to describe conduct, demands, emotions, or expression that exceed reasonable limits.