Meaning & use
quick temper
Last updated
UK/ˌkwɪk ˈtempə/
US/ˌkwɪk ˈtempɚ/
Meaning
nounsingular
A tendency to become angry very soon and with little provocation.
Grammar: Usually a quick temper, with a: he has a quick temper. It rarely has a plural.
Patterns
- have a quick temper
- a quick temper about something
My brother has a quick temper, but he calms down just as fast.
Her quick temper got her into trouble at work.
He tried to control his quick temper during the meeting.
Common combinations
- have a quick temper
- She has a quick temper, so choose your words with care.
- known for a quick temper
- The coach was known for his quick temper on the sidelines.
- control a quick temper
- He is learning to control his quick temper.
- a famously quick temper
- The director's famously quick temper kept the crew on edge.
Synonyms and how they differ
- short fuse
- Short fuse is an informal metaphor for someone who explodes with anger; quick temper is plainer and slightly more neutral.
- hot temper
- Hot temper stresses the intensity of anger, while quick temper stresses how soon it appears.
- irritability
- Irritability is a general readiness to feel annoyed and sounds more clinical than quick temper.
Opposites
patienceeven temper
Word family
- temper noun
- a person's tendency to be angry or calm
- quick-tempered adjective
- easily and swiftly angered
- temperamental adjective
- moody and unpredictable
Commonly confused: quick temper or bad temper?
quick temper vs bad temper
A bad temper means being in a grumpy or angry mood, not necessarily reacting quickly to small things.
Practice
Which sentence best shows someone with a quick temper?
Choose one answer.
Getting angry very fast at small things shows a quick temper. The other options describe a calm person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “quick temper”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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