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
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 18 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
Meanwhile, brand deals are becoming a necessity for middle-of-the-road actors who are feeling the squeeze of studio consolidation with fewer available gigs.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
Fresno State is expected to be a middle-of-the-road Mountain West team.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 18 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
Meanwhile, brand deals are becoming a necessity for middle-of-the-road actors who are feeling the squeeze of studio consolidation with fewer available gigs.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 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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Of these, 20 percent believe the effects will be significant, 46 percent expect these to be moderate and 16 percent foresee a minimal impact, with 16 percent unsure and only two percent expecting no impact whatsoever.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The rain is much needed, as most of the Kansas City forecast area is abnormally dry, with moderate drought conditions creeping closer to its boundaries in mid-Missouri, the weather service said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As Milchick, Tillman infused an unnerving cheerfulness into Lumon Industries’ macrodata refinement supervisor, a character who became increasingly central in Season 2.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
15 Sep. 2025
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Jones detailed new de-icing equipment, dedicated crews, and a central dashboard so all departments can see in real-time how their decisions impact the entire network.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Red mesh iron bookshelves and traditional Italian kitchen towels suspended like airy curtains from the ceiling add to the quirky interior.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Kirk capitalized on the widening gap to position himself as a conservative cultural authority on traditional values and religion.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 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 16 Sep. 2025.
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