moderate 1 of 3

adjective

ˈmä-d(ə-)rət How to pronounce moderate (audio)
Definition of moderatenext
1
as in temperate
avoiding extremes in behavior or expression he was only a moderate drinker, generally stopping after a couple of glasses of wine

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Relevance

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2
as in central
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas the principal's moderate position on cell phones is that students can use them at school but only for emergencies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size a moderate snowfall was forecast for the region

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in mild
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low a city that is celebrated for its moderate climate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

moderate

2 of 3

noun

ˈmä-d(ə-)rət How to pronounce moderate (audio)
as in centrist
a person who holds moderate views to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

moderate

3 of 3

verb

ˈmä-də-ˌrāt How to pronounce moderate (audio)
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the wind began to moderate as the night wore on

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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 moderate
Adjective
Those victories are expanding into swing states such as Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed ‒ a progressive backed by prominent democratic socialists, but not one himself ‒ prevailed in the Senate primary over a more moderate opponent. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Both receptors are common on human airway cells High levels of stimulation are detrimental, the researchers wrote, whereas moderate levels indicating small amounts of time spent in cowsheds seemed to be beneficial. — Baltimore Sun, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
In Japan, moderates had begun back-channel discussions with the Soviet Union (with whom Japan was not at war) in an effort to end the fighting and preserve the Japanese monarchy. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 Throughout the campaign, Stevens argued that El-Sayed would not be able to defeat Rogers, a refrain some moderates repeated Wednesday. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
Bolies, who joined Variety earlier this year as our first AI beat reporter, made the trek to Las Vegas in part to moderate a session with filmmaker Scott Mann, who heads the AI tech firm Flawless. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026 With Stevens out, will moderate Black voters simply stay home? — S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
  1. temperate
  2. central
  3. average
  4. mild
  5. centrist
  6. decrease
  7. restrained
  8. median
Adjective
  • That has a stronger impact in ecosystems like Canada’s boreal forests, California’s Sierra Nevada mountains and parts of temperate Europe that evolved under relatively cool, moist conditions.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Much of the Bay Area is set to see sizzling summer weather this weekend as temperatures hit the triple digits, but coastal areas will mostly avoid the swelter with much more temperate conditions.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of temperate
Adjective
  • Chips that adapt to time The ability to change response speed is central to the technology.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The central issue isn't product quality, but control and ownership of institutional knowledge.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of central
Adjective
  • This squad broke records for fielding the oldest average team in their Premier League era last season.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The average woman with a college degree now has her first child after age 35, a shift from decades ago, when many had children in their 20s.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • For mild nausea, massage a few drops of diluted peppermint oil directly on the stomach.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The autopsy also found Martinez suffered pulmonary and mild cerebral edema, a potentially deadly condition where excess fluid accumulates in the lungs and brain.
    — Perry Vandell, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of mild
Noun
  • Moskowitz, a centrist known for cooperating with Republicans, and Larkin, a democratic socialist, are far apart on many issues.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Gluesenkamp Perez, a centrist who was first elected narrowly in 2022 and has made a name for herself by sometimes breaking with her party, successfully fended off primary challengers on Tuesday to advance to the November ballot.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of centrist
Verb
  • Some of the commitments of the CROP plan is to decrease communitywide greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030, and achieve communitywide net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
    — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Palm Beach County school district, like its Broward and Miami-Dade counterparts, is facing the issue of decreasing enrollment.
    — Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of decrease
Adjective
  • Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve give superbly restrained performances as a married couple who have immigrated from Romania to a small seaside town in Norway with their four children.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Sydney penthouse, measuring in at just under 9,700 square feet, takes a restrained approach while still feeling sumptuous, thanks to interiors that pair custom pieces with luxe materials.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of restrained
Adjective
  • And Latino Georgians are a median age of 27, compared with 42 for white Georgians.
    — Deborah Santiago, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In June, the median sales price hit $442,800, an all-time high for any month on data going back to 1999, NAR said.
    — Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of median

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Cite this Entry

“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of moderate for Spanish Speakers

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