centrist

noun

cen·​trist ˈsen-trist 

1

often Centrist : a member of a center party

2

: a person who holds moderate views

centrism

ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm 

noun

centrist adjective

Synonyms of centrist

• moderate
• middle-of-the-roader

Examples of centrist in a Sentence

The candidate hopes to appeal to centrists nationwide.

the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely

Recent Examples on the Web

Now Los Angeles stands just two months from its own mayoral election, facing the question of whether the city wants to stand pat with Mayor Karen Bass, or make an ideological correction, turning to a centrist, a la San Francisco, or banking left, like New York. —James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Austria's three-party centrist coalition is now joining the trend. —ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026

The March 24 paper comes from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a centrist, nonpartisan think tank in the nation’s capital. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026

The convergence of Abundance centrists and conservative environmentalists would seem to belie the ACC’s assertion that the environmental movement is dominated by radicals who would rather sabotage the American economy than accept any of the compromises necessary to achieve a prosperous future. —Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1