centrist

1 of 2

noun (1)

cen·​trist ˈsen-trist 

1

or less commonly Centrist : a member of a center party

2

: a person who holds moderate views

centrism

ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm 

noun

centrist adjective

centrism

2 of 2

noun (2)

cen·​trism ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm 

plural -s

: a political philosophy of avoiding extremes of right or left

centrist

ˈsen-trist 

adjective

Synonyms of centrist

Noun (1)

• moderate
• middle-of-the-roader

Examples of centrist in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Noun

Netanyahu -- who leads the right-wing Likud party -- and Eisenkot -- who leads the centrist Yashar party -- both claimed a mandate from voters on Tuesday night. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

His main challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, 66, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces who leads the centrist Yashar party and has positioned himself as an alternative to Netanyahu's leadership. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, Eisenkot’s bloc, which consists of right-wing, centrist and left-wing parties, would get 54 seats, beating Netanyahu while still falling short of a clear victory. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026

Polls show Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition in a dead heat with his chief rival, the centrist Gadi Eisenkot. — Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

centr- + -ism

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1