moderates 1 of 2

noun

plural of moderate
as in centrists
a person who holds moderate views to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

moderates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of moderate
as in decreases
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the wind began to moderate as the night wore on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 moderates
Noun
Some allege that the government has engineered fuel shortages to make an agreement unavoidable, others go further, accusing moderates of staging a coup. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 At the same time, warnings about Iran’s economy from Pezeshkian and the regime’s other relative moderates have been mounting. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Until the Democratic Party moderates, the effort is unlikely to succeed. — Eric Teetsel, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026 As the official media partner for the Summit (which is the flagship industry event of the Zurich Film Festival), Deadline covers and moderates panels, hosts the Deadline Studio for executive interviews, and provides on-the-ground reporting. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026 Warren has blasted the party’s reliance on catering to billionaire donors over working people’s interests in the intraparty battle between progressives and moderates. — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 California was once hailed as a model for curbing the power of special interests and electing moderates. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 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 Kelowna, wine begins with the water—grapes can’t grow this far north without the lake, which moderates the valley’s climate year-round. — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026 So the strategic release temporarily moderates price increases. — Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026 There’s a lot of science behind this practice, but to put it simply, baking in a water bath regulates and moderates the temperature of the baked good, encouraging an even bake. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026 The former is processed slowly and moderates blood sugar. — ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026 The Digital Services Act primarily moderates the content on online platforms to prioritize user safety, while the Digital Markets Act aims to prevent Big Tech companies from abusing their market dominance. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2025 Their answer is a framework that moderates collective impulses while preserving the rights of individuals and minorities. — Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 26 Nov. 2025 During the second panel of the Pillars of the Green Transition event on September 24, 2025, Newsweek editor Jeff Young moderates a discussion with HowGood CEO Alex Gillett, Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson, Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi and Arva CRO Phil Harris. — Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderates
  1. centrists
  2. decreases
  3. diminishes
  4. subsides
  5. declines
  6. falls
Noun
  • 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
  • But those who stand outside of it—call them centrists, liberals, or traditional progressives—are undoubtedly the duller ones.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of centrists
Verb
  • Splitting the shot up decreases vaccination rates and leaves children unprotected over a longer period, experts say.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When employees actively participate in shaping the policies that govern their day-to-day experience, engagement rises and turnover decreases.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Once the journey time increases, the value proposition diminishes and the project is less likely to succeed.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Congressional Budget Office estimates that for every dollar added to the deficit, private investment loses 33 cents, which diminishes economic growth and wages over time.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • When the storm subsides, the Pogues use Kiara’s coordinates and Pope’s calculations to return to the water and search for the gold.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • The fee applies during the first 13 years of the agreement and gradually declines over the remaining initial term.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Recent findings show that early-career workers – ages 22 to 25 – in occupations most vulnerable to AI automation, such as software development and customer service, have experienced employment declines.
    — Maria Black, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of declines
Verb
  • When Cantu reaches towards Lopez and screams his wife’s name, a shot rings out and Lopez falls slightly off camera.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than extra long hair, think of a cut that falls somewhere below the collarbone, with enough layering or movement to keep it from feeling heavy.
    — Laura Solla, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of falls

Browse Nearby Words

moderateness
moderates
moderating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All