Anger vs. Temper — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 11, 2023
Anger is an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, while Temper refers to a person's ability to handle or express emotions, especially anger.
Difference Between Anger and Temper
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Key Differences
Anger is an emotion that can be triggered by specific events, situations, or individuals. It's a natural response to threats or perceived wrongs, often resulting in feelings of hostility, irritation, or frustration. On the other hand, Temper is not just an emotion but a characteristic or trait. It represents a person's typical reaction or emotional disposition, especially in situations that evoke strong feelings. While anger is fleeting and arises in response to specific triggers, a person's temper remains relatively consistent over time.
Anger can manifest in various ways, such as shouting, physical aggression, or silent resentment. It is a potent emotion that can be both protective and destructive. Temper, however, reflects how one generally manages and expresses those angry feelings. Someone with a "short temper" might easily get angry, while someone with a "calm temper" might rarely display anger, even when provoked.
Anger is a universal emotion that every human experiences, regardless of age, gender, or cultural background. It's a feeling that arises temporarily, driven by specific situations. Temper, conversely, can be seen as a personality trait. While everyone feels anger from time to time, not everyone has the same temper. One person might be known for their fiery temper, while another is praised for their even-tempered nature.
Both anger and temper play significant roles in interpersonal relationships. Excessive or uncontrollable anger can damage relationships, lead to conflicts, and even have legal consequences. Meanwhile, understanding one's temper and working on it, if necessary, can lead to healthier emotional expression and improved relationships. Both words, while distinct in meaning, are intrinsically linked in the realm of human emotions.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Emotion
Trait or disposition
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Duration
Temporary response to a specific event
More consistent over time
Expression
Can manifest as shouting, aggression, or resentment
Reflects how one generally manages and expresses anger
Universality
Experienced by everyone
Varies from person to person
Role in Relationships
Can affect interactions negatively if excessive
Defines one's general approach to conflicts and provocations
Compare with Definitions
Anger
Intense irritation or frustration.
The constant noise filled him with anger.
Temper
A person's characteristic emotional disposition.
Sarah's even temper makes her great in stressful situations.
Anger
An emotional response to perceived wrongs.
His anger rose when he heard about the injustice.
Temper
A tendency to become angry or not.
With his short temper, he's known to react impulsively.
Anger
A feeling seeking redress or revenge.
His anger demanded an apology.
Temper
The general nature of something's character or demeanor.
The temper of the debate was calm and collected.
Anger
A reaction to threats or challenges.
The lion's anger was evident when its territory was threatened.
Temper
To modify by the addition of a moderating element; moderate
"temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom" (Robert H. Jackson).
Anger
Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Some view anger as an emotion which triggers part of the fight or flight response.
Temper
To bring to a desired consistency, texture, hardness, or other physical condition by blending, admixing, or kneading
Temper clay.
Paints that had been tempered with oil.
Anger
A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility
The colonel's anger at his daughter's disobedience
Temper
To harden or strengthen (metal or glass) by application of heat or by heating and cooling.
Anger
Fill (someone) with anger; provoke anger in
He was angered that he had not been told
She was angered by his terse answer
Temper
To strengthen through experience or hardship; toughen
Soldiers who had been tempered by combat.
Anger
A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility.
Temper
(Music) To adjust (the pitch of an instrument) to a temperament.
Anger
To make angry; enrage or provoke.
Temper
To be or become tempered.
Anger
To become angry
She angers too quickly.
Temper
A state of mind or emotion; disposition
An even temper.
Anger
A strong feeling of displeasure, hostility or antagonism towards someone or something, usually combined with an urge to harm, often stemming from perceived provocation, hurt, or threat.
You need to control your anger.
Temper
Calmness of mind or emotions; composure
Lose one's temper.
Anger
(obsolete) Pain or stinging.
Temper
A tendency to become easily angry or irritable
A quick temper.
Anger
(transitive) To cause such a feeling of antagonism in.
He who angers you conquers you.
Temper
Anger; rage
A fit of temper.
Anger
(intransitive) To become angry.
You anger too easily.
Temper
A characteristic general quality; tone
Heroes who exemplified the medieval temper.
The politicized temper of the 1930s.
Anger
Trouble; vexation; also, physical pain or smart of a sore, etc.
I made the experiment, setting the moxa where . . . the greatest anger and soreness still continued.
Temper
The condition of being tempered.
Anger
A strong passion or emotion of displeasure or antagonism, excited by a real or supposed injury or insult to one's self or others, or by the intent to do such injury.
Anger is likeA full hot horse, who being allowed his way,Self-mettle tires him.
Temper
The degree of hardness and elasticity of a metal, chiefly steel, achieved by tempering.
Anger
To make painful; to cause to smart; to inflame.
He . . . angereth malign ulcers.
Temper
A modifying substance or agent added to something else.
Anger
To excite to anger; to enrage; to provoke.
Taxes and impositions . . . which rather angered than grieved the people.
Temper
(Archaic) A middle course between extremes; a mean.
Anger
A strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
Temper
A general tendency or orientation towards a certain type of mood, a volatile state; a habitual way of thinking, behaving or reacting.
To have a good, bad, or calm temper
Anger
The state of being angry
Temper
State of mind; mood.
Anger
Belligerence aroused by a real or supposed wrong (personified as one of the deadly sins)
Temper
A tendency to become angry.
To have a hasty temper
He has quite a temper when dealing with salespeople.
Anger
Make angry;
The news angered him
Temper
Anger; a fit of anger.
An outburst of temper
Anger
Become angry;
He angers easily
Temper
Calmness of mind; moderation; equanimity; composure.
To keep one's temper; to lose one's temper; to recover one's temper
Temper
(obsolete) Constitution of body; the mixture or relative proportion of the four humours: blood, choler, phlegm, and melancholy.
Temper
Middle state or course; mean; medium.
Temper
The state of any compound substance which results from the mixture of various ingredients; due mixture of different qualities.
The temper of mortar
Temper
The heat treatment to which a metal or other material has been subjected; a material that has undergone a particular heat treatment.
Temper
The state of a metal or other substance, especially as to its hardness, produced by some process of heating or cooling.
The temper of iron or steel
Temper
Milk of lime, or other substance, employed in the process formerly used to clarify sugar.
Temper
To moderate or control.
Temper your language around children.
Temper
To strengthen or toughen a material, especially metal, by heat treatment; anneal.
Tempering is a heat treatment technique applied to metals, alloys, and glass to achieve greater toughness by increasing the strength of materials and/or ductility. Tempering is performed by a controlled reheating of the work piece to a temperature below its lower eutectic critical temperature.
Temper
(cooking) To adjust the temperature of an ingredient (e.g. eggs or chocolate) gradually so that it remains smooth and pleasing.
Temper
To sauté spices in ghee or oil to release essential oils for flavouring a dish in South Asian cuisine.
Temper
To mix clay, plaster or mortar with water to obtain the proper consistency.
Temper
(music) To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale, or to that in actual use.
Temper
To govern; to manage.
Temper
(archaic) To combine in due proportions; to constitute; to compose.
Temper
(archaic) To mingle in due proportion; to prepare by combining; to modify, as by adding some new element; to qualify, as by an ingredient; hence, to soften; to mollify; to assuage.
Temper
(obsolete) To fit together; to adjust; to accommodate.
Temper
To mingle in due proportion; to prepare by combining; to modify, as by adding some new element; to qualify, as by an ingredient; hence, to soften; to mollify; to assuage; to soothe; to calm.
Puritan austerity was so tempered by Dutch indifference, that mercy itself could not have dictated a milder system.
Woman! lovely woman! nature made theeTo temper man: we had been brutes without you.
But thy fireShall be more tempered, and thy hope far higher.
She [the Goddess of Justice] threw darkness and clouds about her, that tempered the light into a thousand beautiful shades and colors.
Temper
To fit together; to adjust; to accomodate.
Thy sustenance . . . serving to the appetite of the eater, tempered itself to every man's liking.
Temper
To bring to a proper degree of hardness; as, to temper iron or steel.
The tempered metals clash, and yield a silver sound.
Temper
To govern; to manage.
With which the damned ghosts he governeth,And furies rules, and Tartare tempereth.
Temper
To moisten to a proper consistency and stir thoroughly, as clay for making brick, loam for molding, etc.
Temper
To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale, or to that in actual use.
Temper
To accord; to agree; to act and think in conformity.
Temper
To have or get a proper or desired state or quality; to grow soft and pliable.
I have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb, and shortly will I seal with him.
Temper
The state of any compound substance which results from the mixture of various ingredients; due mixture of different qualities; just combination; as, the temper of mortar.
Temper
Constitution of body; temperament; in old writers, the mixture or relative proportion of the four humors, blood, choler, phlegm, and melancholy.
The exquisiteness of his [Christ's] bodily temper increased the exquisiteness of his torment.
Temper
Disposition of mind; the constitution of the mind, particularly with regard to the passions and affections; as, a calm temper; a hasty temper; a fretful temper.
Remember with what mildAnd gracious temper he both heared and judged.
The consequents of a certain ethical temper.
Temper
Calmness of mind; moderation; equanimity; composure; as, to keep one's temper.
To fall with dignity, with temper rise.
Restore yourselves to your tempers, fathers.
Temper
Heat of mind or passion; irritation; proneness to anger; - in a reproachful sense.
Temper
The state of a metal or other substance, especially as to its hardness, produced by some process of heating or cooling; as, the temper of iron or steel.
Temper
Middle state or course; mean; medium.
The perfect lawgiver is a just temper between the mere man of theory, who can see nothing but general principles, and the mere man of business, who can see nothing but particular circumstances.
Temper
Milk of lime, or other substance, employed in the process formerly used to clarify sugar.
Temper
A sudden outburst of anger;
His temper sparked like damp firewood
Temper
A characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling;
Whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time
He was in a bad humor
Temper
A disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger;
His temper was well known to all his employees
Temper
The elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking
Temper
Toughen (steel or glass) by a process of gradually heating and cooling;
Temper glass
Temper
Harden by reheating and cooling in oil;
Temper steel
Temper
Adjust the pitch (of pianos)
Temper
Make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate;
She tempered her criticism
Temper
Restrain or temper
Temper
The ability to handle stress or adversity.
Her calm temper helped her navigate challenges with grace.
Common Curiosities
Can everyone experience anger?
Yes, anger is a universal emotion experienced by everyone at some point in their lives due to specific triggers.
Is having a temper the same as being angry all the time?
No, temper reflects one's general approach to emotional reactions. A person with a short temper might get angry easily, but not necessarily be angry all the time.
Can anger be positive?
Yes, in moderation, anger can drive positive change, motivate, or help defend against threats. It's excessive or uncontrolled anger that can be problematic.
Is it bad to have a "hot temper"?
A hot or short temper means one might get angry easily. It's not inherently bad, but if not managed, it can lead to conflicts and strained relationships.
Can external factors like illness or medication affect one's anger or temper?
Absolutely. Certain illnesses, medications, or even fatigue can influence mood and temperament.
How is temper linked to personality?
Temper is a facet of one's personality, reflecting how they typically respond emotionally, especially in provocative situations.
Why do some people seem never to get angry?
They might have a very calm or even-tempered disposition, or they've developed strategies to manage and express their emotions healthily.
Are there cultural differences in expressing anger and temper?
Yes, cultural norms influence how emotions, including anger, are expressed and how temperaments are perceived.
Is it unhealthy to suppress anger?
Continually suppressing anger can be unhealthy and lead to stress, anxiety, or even physical issues. It's essential to find healthy ways to express and manage anger.
What is the primary difference between anger and temper?
Anger is a fleeting emotional response to a perceived wrong, while temper refers to a person's consistent emotional disposition, especially related to anger.
Can temper be changed or is it permanent?
While temper is a trait, with self-awareness and effort, one can work on improving or modifying their temper over time.
Can a person's temper affect their health?
Yes, consistently high levels of anger or stress can have negative impacts on one's physical and mental health.
How can I manage my anger?
Techniques like deep breathing, counting to ten, and taking breaks can help. For chronic issues, therapy or anger management classes might be beneficial.
Are anger and aggression the same?
No, anger is an emotion, while aggression is a behavior. One can feel angry without acting aggressively.
Can children be taught about anger and temper?
Yes, children can and should be taught about emotions, including anger, and ways to manage them. Understanding temper can also help in nurturing their emotional intelligence.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
