CENTRIST Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

centrist 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of centrist

as in moderate

avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas several centrist candidates were elected, apparently in a reaction against the extremists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

centrist

2 of 2

noun

ˈsen-trist

as in middle-of-the-roader

a person who holds moderate views the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely

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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 centrist

Adjective

Peltola, unlike Flanagan and El-Sayed, is running a centrist campaign. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 David de la Fuente, a senior analyst at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank, said since the 2024 presidential election, winning remains the chief focus for Democratic primary voters. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2026

Noun

Wisconsin showed this week the power centrist voters have to prevent DSA from reinventing America in its own image. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026 NPAs are hungry to elect centrists who believe that compromise is not a dirty word. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for centrist

Recent Examples of Synonyms for centrist

Adjective

But doubling down on defensive moderate talking points and ignoring a disillusioned working class are no longer winnable strategies.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
For Russians themselves, these measures are a stark contrast to the moderate freedoms they were allowed before 2022, when the war began.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of moderate

Adjective

The second system being tracked by the NHC was a weak area of low pressure with disorganized cloudiness and showers located in the northeastern and north-central Gulf.

— Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
That means conversations about how tokenization might affect payments, regulatory and monetary policy, central banking and more.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of central

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centrals

centrist

centrists

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“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of centrist

adjective

noun

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