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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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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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
Combining vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folic acid plus pravastatin may help improve kidney function in non-diabetic people with mild-to-moderate CKD, according to some studies. — Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 31 Aug. 2026 For more moderate candidates seeking voters' support in November, there's an increasingly fine political line to walk. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
Continue reading … DEM CIVIL WAR — Left-wing insurgents battle moderates Tuesday in races that could flip the House. — FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The Democratic National Committee is expected to vote on Saturday to approve the new order of states for the 2028 presidential nominating process as progressives and moderates grapple over the party's direction in the midterms. — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
In addition to holding the dinner Thursday, Fairweather opened the doors to Chanel earlier in the summer and hosted a Q&A with the brand’s arts and culture president, Yana Peel, moderated by Cultured magazine founder and editor Sarah Harrelson. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026 The debate, hosted at The Sacramento Bee, was moderated by opinion columnist Tom Philp, political reporter Mathew Miranda and Marcos Bretón, director of community outreach and opinion journalism. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 18 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
  • Since California’s climate is so temperate, Channel Islands National Park operates all year round.
    — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Many temperate and boreal regions that anchor industrial fiber production are warming faster than the global average.
    — Kari Stoever, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of temperate
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
Adjective
  • Across this period, there has been a strong correlation between higher average possession and points per game.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The required earnings amount is adjusted annually to reflect changes in average wages, so the threshold generally rises over time.
    — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • There is a possibility that the strengthening El Niño weather event creates a mild early winter in northeast Asia which reduces demand, Drinkwater said.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The comparatively mild operating conditions are another point of distinction.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of mild
Noun
  • There’s a debate among centrists who don’t like that this happened; how much did this weaken the Democratic Party?
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Big progressive win Nixon, an outspoken progressive, ended up easily defeating Vindman, who was much more of an establishment centrist.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of centrist
Verb
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • To continue decreasing the vacancy rate, Center City Partners has focused on older buildings that aren’t as appealing to a return-to-office workforce That focus is on renovations or conversions.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decrease
Adjective
  • China media have been relatively restrained about this election result compared to past extreme rhetoric.
    — Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But this Sin City home takes a more restrained approach, pairing clean lines and strong geometric forms with the natural beauty of the Southwest.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of restrained
Adjective
  • The median family income in the Southwest zone across all six of the maps hovers between $71,000 and $75,000.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The median California household made around $100,000 in 2025, per census data.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of median

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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