Immoderate, "excessive," "inordinate, "extravagant," "exorbitant," and "extreme" all mean going beyond a normal limit. "Immoderate" suggests a lack of desirable or necessary restraint ("immoderate spending"). "Excessive" implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable ("excessive punishment"). "Inordinate" implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment ("inordinate pride"). "Extravagant" implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste ("extravagant claims for the product"). "Exorbitant" has connotations of a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree ("exorbitant prices"). "Extreme" may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable, but commonly means only to a notably high degree ("extreme shyness").
excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.
excessive punishment
immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.
immoderate spending
inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.
inordinate pride
extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.
extravagant claims for the product
exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.
exorbitant prices
extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.
extreme shyness
Example Sentences
the young widow remarried with what was regarded as immoderate haste by most observers
Recent Examples on the WebIt’s long been argued that information disclosure initiatives like TRI compel polluters to scale back immoderate emissions for fear that their names might otherwise end up on the front page of The New York Times. Ava Kofman, oregonlive, 16 Dec. 2021 In my reading, Louie has been accused of immoderate desire, and the story is her response. Amy Weiss-meyer, The Atlantic, 16 May 2021 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, isn’t their willingness to pursue traditional Democratic goals by immoderate methods but their embrace of radical progressivism. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 12 Apr. 2021 But the immoderate 6-year-old remains his default setting. Reggie Ugwu, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2020 And that number just grows larger every year, well ahead of inflation and vastly in excess of any possible spending even the most immoderate lifestyles might allow. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2019 Fascism and communism found the modern form of individual liberty lacking, and sought to reinject community—albeit in monstrous, immoderate ways that trampled on liberty. Nick Burns, The New Republic, 7 Aug. 2019 Louis has since emerged as the French literary world’s most implacable, immoderate opponent of Emmanuel Macron, the young president whose promises of national renewal have lately run aground. Jason Farago, The New York Review of Books, 18 Apr. 2019 The old-guard corporatists are under attack from activists with radical goals and immoderate tempers. Jeet Heer, The New Republic, 6 July 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English immoderat, from Latin immoderatus, from in- + moderatus, past participle of moderare to moderate