middleman

noun

mid·​dle·​man ˈmi-dᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
Synonyms of middlemannext
: an intermediary or agent between two parties
especially : a dealer, agent, or company intermediate between the producer of goods and the retailer or consumer

Synonyms of middleman

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Examples of middleman in a Sentence

The Internet helps consumers save money by buying products directly from companies and eliminating the middleman. We've cut out the middleman and can reduce prices for our customers. He acted as the middleman in the talks between labor and management.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Waymo has also been expanding into new markets without Uber, while rivals such as Tesla double down on robotaxis, feeding fears that a growing fleet of driverless cars could erode Uber's lucrative role as the middleman between vehicles and riders. — Akash Sriram, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 This was no gangsta rap Nuremberg, but rather something closer to the trial of Adolf Eichmann — a case tried decades later in which the aging defendant wasn’t the actual killer but a banal middleman, a functionary and a lethal node of transport. — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 Private-credit and infrastructure managers act as the middlemen, turning projects like data centers into debt those institutions can hold. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 But one of the deals in which Aikebaer, 60, acted as middleman — a plan to build a luxury apartment building in Pasadena — went south, according to Bo’s civil attorney, Michael Chen. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middleman

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of middleman was in 1648

Rhymes for middleman

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Browse Nearby Words

Middle Low German
middleman
middle management
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Cite this Entry

“Middleman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middleman. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

middleman

noun
mid·​dle·​man ˈmid-ᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
: go-between
especially : a dealer between the producer of goods and the consumer
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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