median 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mediannext
1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size the median price of a home in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in middle
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes determine the median point between your two speakers, and test your stereo system from there

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

median

2 of 2

noun

as in normal

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word median distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of median are average, mean, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When would average be a good substitute for median?

The meanings of average and median largely overlap; however, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of median?

The words mean and median can be used in similar contexts, but mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

When might norm be a better fit than median?

In some situations, the words norm and median are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of median
Adjective
Here are a few other notable towns that ranked among LendingTree’s top 50 for median home value. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 The other four would be leased at levels targeted to people making 60% of the median income. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Yet most Gen Xers haven't saved nearly enough for retirement, with a median of $107,000 in savings. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Japan is notable, with a current term premium of 239 basis points and a historical median of 165 basis points. — Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
  1. average
  2. middle
  3. normal
  4. halfway
  5. medial
  6. intermediate
  7. mid
Adjective
  • Those consumers experienced an average credit score increase of 16 points, according to FICO.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The relative chart versus the SPX has improved as well, with NTR rebounding from trendline support and reclaiming its 40-week moving average (MA) in the ratio.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Students have opportunities at the middle and high school levels to explore, prepare for and experience potential careers in the agriculture and natural resources industry sector.
    — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to movies, August has written the Arlo Finch middle-grade trilogy and the bestselling Scriptnotes book, based on his long-running podcast with Craig Mazin.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of middle
Noun
  • But with climate change, the pace of this July’s flash flooding, and that of the past two years, may just be the new normal for mid-summer.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • But the idea of global water bankruptcy shows that in many places, there’s no old normal to go back to.
    — Sara Roversi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • The 26-year-old information technology administrator consumed a Red Bull energy drink around the film's halfway mark to stay alert.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 July 2026
  • The Pirates are 9 1/2 games behind the National League Central Division leading Milwaukee Brewers – but only two games out of a playoff spot at the halfway point in the season.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of halfway
Adjective
  • The operation is a grafting procedure in which doctors take tendons from another part of the body – the forearm, hamstring, hip or knee – and replace the medial ligament in the elbow with the grafted portion.
    — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • If you have been bitten or scratched by any stray animals or an animal suspected to have rabies, seek medial care immediately and let your provider know about the possible exposure.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of medial
Adjective
  • McMillan set the Panthers’ rookie receiving yards record in a single season; his 6-foot-5, 212-pound frame provided Young with a red zone threat and intermediate threat that the Panthers desperately needed.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Really, though, this Vuelta’s battle between Pedersen and Van Aert for green could be tremendous — and given their ability to contend in the intermediate sprints, played out on almost every stage of this year’s race.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of intermediate
Adjective
  • Golf Channel’s median-age viewer is in their early to mid 60s, Knapp estimated.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Moderna is also studying the intismeran/Keytruda combination in mid-stage trials of ​patients with bladder and kidney cancers as well as in early-stage trials in pancreatic and stomach cancers.
    — Mariam Sunny, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mid

Browse Nearby Words

medial
median
medians
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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on median

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about median

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