as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
contracted some tropical distemper while he was doing research in the jungles of Borneo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to alarm
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
despite his career success, he has been distempered by nagging feelings of inadequacy his whole life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distemper
Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2025
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
—Miriam Toews
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Raccoons can spread diseases like rabies, distemper, parvovirus Raccoons can transmit rabies, canine distemper and parvovirus to domestic animals and humans.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 19 Aug. 2025
Since the shelters’ closure on March 24, animal control staff have sent more than 1,000 samples to an outside lab to screen for distemper, officials said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distemper
Noun
The bear tested negative for rabies and distemper.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for distemper
Noun
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Plant diseases and pests can be spread by reusing dirty flower pots.—
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In 2024, Patrick's widow Lisa Niemi Swayze teamed up with leading non profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research.—
Verb
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The images alarmed many onlookers, watchdogs and people whose photos had been manipulated, and there was a sustained pushback on X leading up to the change.—
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That the administration appears unconcerned by this fact should alarm everyone else.—
Noun
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The Pistons played without Cade Cunningham (wrist), Isaiah Stewart (illness), Tobias Harris (hip) and Jalen Duren (ankle).—
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Vinjamoori explains that while general recommendations for older adults often start lower, needs increase significantly if a person is active, recovering from illness, or trying to rebuild strength.—
Verb
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Rose tells Shaw that her community is concerned about sacred remains being disturbed.—
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The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.—
Noun
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In 2010, two years before his death at 82 from complications of heart and lung ailments, Reisman founded Table Tennis Nation.—
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Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, who popped up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring ailment, was present.—
Verb
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For some with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), they may be distressed by the prospect of germs or how foods are prepared.—
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The speech was largely a list of what the president sees as his accomplishments on the economy, with little nod to a wave of recent polls showing Americans distressed by the cost of living.—
Noun
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As a result of her work with AMRs, Wise avoids framing humanoids as some sort of industrial panacea for every economic ill, from labor shortages to manufacturing bottlenecks.—
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Certainly, in the past several years, the app has been blamed for any number of contemporary social ills.—
Verb
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Take a seat on an icy throne—the cold never bothered you anyway.—
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Don’t bother wasting your money—using it more than once a day won’t yield ‘better’ or faster results.—
Cite this Entry
“Distemper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distemper. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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