as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
a candidate with middle-of-the-road views on most hot-button issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
middle of the road
2 of 2phrase
as in middle
a middle point between extremes
I'm in the middle of the road on that issue.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middle-of-the-road
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
They were compared to 15 who scored very high and were basically music lovers, and another 15 who were middle-of-the-road between those two extremes.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
The film, which also stars the singer-songwriter Halsey, received middle-of-the-road reviews from critics and barely made a dent with $500,000 in sales from 1,100 theaters.
—Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Yet just a few years ago, Arias was a middle-of-the-road midfielder for middle-of-the-road clubs in his homeland of Colombia.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
There might be nothing worse in the NFL than being a middle-of-the-road team that cannot make noise deep into the postseason.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
They were compared to 15 who scored very high and were basically music lovers, and another 15 who were middle-of-the-road between those two extremes.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
The film, which also stars the singer-songwriter Halsey, received middle-of-the-road reviews from critics and barely made a dent with $500,000 in sales from 1,100 theaters.
—Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Yet just a few years ago, Arias was a middle-of-the-road midfielder for middle-of-the-road clubs in his homeland of Colombia.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
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As the Republican Party’s views have swung further right not just nationally but also locally, more moderate candidates who may have run as Republicans in Johnson County in the past are finding room under the Democratic umbrella and resonating with voters, Robinson said.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
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Both include lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, as well as moderate amounts of fish, chicken, dairy, and whole grains.—
Alexandria Nyembwe,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The central question was where the canvassers lived during the petition drive, Wood said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
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From the central atrium, the Grand Staircase -- a six-story ascent lined with around 60 monumental artifacts including statues, sarcophagi, columns and stelae -- culminates in a view of Giza's three famous pyramids.—
Ayat Al-Tawy,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Current challenges Building Electric Road Systems (ERS) is significantly more expensive than traditional highway construction.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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Some suggest this is because climate change is interfering with the flowering and pollination of some of the animals’ traditional sources of food.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Middle-of-the-road.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-of-the-road. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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