moderate
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1mod·er·ate
adjective \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\Definition of MODERATE
1
2
a : tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension b : having average or less than average quality : mediocre
3
: professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme
4
: limited in scope or effect
5
: not expensive : reasonable or low in price
6
of a color : of medium lightness and medium chroma
— mod·er·ate·ly adverb
— mod·er·ate·ness noun
See Examples of MODERATE
- Her doctor recommended moderate exercise.
- There were moderate levels of chemicals in the lake.
- drinking moderate amounts of coffee
- Most of these medicines relieve mild to moderate pain.
- a family of moderate income
- a book of moderate length
- The group met with only moderate success.
- a writer of moderate talent
- The hotel offers comfortable rooms at moderate prices.
- Both moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans can agree on this new law.
Origin of MODERATE
Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past participle of moderare to moderate; akin to Latin modus measure
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- temperate
- Antonyms
- immoderate, intemperate
2mod·er·ate
verb \ˈmä-də-ˌrāt\mod·er·at·edmod·er·at·ing
Definition of MODERATE
transitive verb
1
: to lessen the intensity or extremeness of <the sun moderated the chill>
2
: to preside over or act as chairman of
intransitive verb
1
: to act as a moderator
2
: to become less violent, severe, or intense <the wind began to moderate>
— mod·er·a·tion \ˌmä-də-ˈrā-shən\ noun
Examples of MODERATE
- The protesters have been unwilling to moderate their demands.
- She moderates at our office meetings.
- She moderates our discussions so that we don't argue or talk at the same time.
First Known Use of MODERATE
15th century
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, decrease, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Rhymes with MODERATE
abdicate, abnegate, abrogate, acclimate, acerbate, acetate, activate, actuate, acylate, adsorbate, advocate, adulate, adumbrate, aggravate, aggregate, agitate, allocate, altercate, ambulate, amputate, animate, annotate, annulate, antedate, antiquate, apartheid, apostate, approbate, arbitrate, arcuate, arrogate, aspirate, auscultate, automate, aviate, bantamweight, Bering Strait, bifurcate, billingsgate, bipinnate, boilerplate, bombinate, brachiate, buffer state, cabinmate, cachinnate, calculate, calibrate, caliphate, candidate, cannulate, cantillate, capitate, captivate, carbonate, carbon-date, carinate, carload rate, castigate, catenate, cavitate, celebrate, cerebrate, chlorinate, circinate, circulate, city-state, client state, cogitate, colligate, collimate, collocate, commentate, commutate, compensate, complicate, concentrate, condensate, confiscate, conglobate, conjugate, consecrate, constellate, consternate, constipate, consummate, contemplate, copperplate, copulate, coronate, correlate, corrugate, coruscate, counterweight, crepitate, criminate, cruciate, cucullate, culminate, cultivate, cumulate, cuneate, cupulate, cuspidate, cyclamate, Davis Strait, deaerate, decimate, decollate, decorate, decussate, defalcate, defecate, deflagrate, dehydrate, delegate, demarcate, demonstrate, denigrate, Denmark Strait, depilate, deviate, deprecate, depredate, derivate, derogate, desecrate, desiccate, designate, desolate, desquamate, detonate, devastate, deviate, digitate, diplomate, discarnate, dislocate, dissertate, dissipate, distillate, divagate, dominate, double date, edentate, educate, elevate, elongate, eluate, emanate, emigrate, emirate, emulate, enervate, ephorate, escalate, estimate, estivate, excavate, exchange rate, exculpate, execrate, expiate, explicate, expurgate, exsiccate, extirpate, extricate, exudate, fabricate, fascinate, fashion plate, featherweight, fecundate, federate, fenestrate, festinate, fibrillate, first estate, flagellate, flocculate, fluctuate, fluoridate, foliate, formulate, fornicate, fourth estate, fractionate, fragmentate, fulminate, fumigate, fustigate, geminate, generate, germinate, glaciate, Golden Gate, graduate, granulate, gratulate, gravitate, heavyweight, hebetate, herniate, hesitate, hibernate, Hudson Strait, hundredweight, hyphenate, ideate, imamate, imbricate, imitate, immigrate, immolate, impetrate, implicate, imprecate, impregnate, incarnate, increate, incubate, inculcate, inculpate, incurvate, indagate, indicate, indurate, infiltrate, in-line skate, in-migrate, innervate, innovate, insensate, inspissate, instigate, insulate, interstate, intestate, intimate, intonate, intraplate, inundate, invocate, iodate, irrigate, irritate, isolate, iterate, jubilate, juniorate, lacerate, laminate, Latinate, laureate, legislate, levigate, levitate, liberate, license plate, liquidate, litigate, littermate, lubricate, macerate, machinate, magistrate, marginate, margravate, marinate, masticate, masturbate, maturate, mediate, medicate, meditate, meliorate, menstruate, microstate, micturate, middleweight, militate, mithridate, mitigate, modulate, motivate, multistate, mutilate, nation-state, nauseate, navigate, neonate, nictitate, niobate, nominate, numerate, obfuscate, objurgate, obligate, obovate, obviate, on a plate, operate, opiate, orchestrate, ordinate, oscillate, osculate, out-migrate, out-of-date, overstate, overweight, ovulate, paginate, palliate, palpitate, paperweight, patinate, peculate, penetrate, pennyweight, percolate, perennate, perforate, permeate, perpetrate, personate, police state, pollinate, populate, postulate, potentate, predicate, procreate, profligate, promulgate, propagate, prorogate, pullulate, pulmonate, punctuate, quantitate, rabbinate, radiate, real estate, recreate, re-create, reinstate, relegate, relocate, remonstrate, renovate, replicate, reprobate, resonate, retardate, retranslate, roller-skate, roseate, rubricate, ruinate, ruminate, runagate, running mate, rusticate, sagittate, salivate, sanitate, satiate, saturate, scintillate, second-rate, segregate, self-portrait, separate, sequestrate, seriate, sibilate, silver plate, simulate, sinuate, situate, speculate, spoliate, stablemate, starting gate, steady state, stimulate, stipulate, strangulate, stridulate, stylobate, subjugate, sublimate, subrogate, subulate, suffocate, sultanate, Sunda Strait, supplicate, surrogate, syncopate, syndicate, tablemate, tabulate, target date, terminate, tessellate, tête-à-tête, thirty-eight, titillate, titivate, tolerate, transmigrate, transudate, tribulate, tribunate, trifurcate, trilobate, tripinnate, triplicate, tunicate, turbinate, ulcerate, ululate, umbellate, uncinate, underrate, understate, underweight, undulate, ungulate, urinate, vaccinate, vacillate, validate, valuate, variate, vegetate, venerate, ventilate, vertebrate, vicarate, vindicate, violate, vitiate, water gate, Watergate, welfare state, welterweight
3mod·er·ate
noun \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\Definition of MODERATE
: one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group favoring a moderate course or program
Examples of MODERATE
- Moderates from both political parties have agreed on an economic plan.
- <to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads>
First Known Use of MODERATE
1794
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- middle-of-the-roader, centrist
- Antonyms
- extremist, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultraist
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