mediation
noun
me·di·a·tion
ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 
: the act or process of mediating: such as
a
: intervention between conflicting parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or compromise
The town feud raged until April … when, with the mediation of William N. Byers the dispute was settled and the name of Denver selected for the settlement.—
Thomas A. Martin
Thomas A. Martin
specifically
: a means of resolving disputes outside of the judicial system by voluntary participation in negotiations structured by agreement of the parties and usually conducted under the guidance and supervision of a trained intermediary
More couples are considering mediation—or using a mediator to help them reach a compromise—rather than hiring two lawyers who fight it out for their clients. —Mary Rowland
Mary Rowland
b
: indirect conveyance or communication through an intermediary
Islam recognizes no ordination, no sacraments, no priestly mediation between the believer and God.—Bernard Lewis
Bernard LewisLike any of the other emporiums of the western ocean, Mogadishu had plenty of employment for the commercial brokers … who provided the crucial mediation between the arriving sea merchants and the local wholesalers.—Ross E. Dunn
Ross E. Dunn
c
: transmission by an intermediate mechanism or agency
The critical role of the hippocampus in the mediation of normal memory processes has been highlighted by the observation that in human patients bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, produces an extensive and durable amnesia for new information.—Raymond P. Kesner et al.
Raymond P. Kesner et al.Examples of mediation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That complaint saw the NCP launching an investigation into Shein; the MPs that lodged the complaint met with Shein and the French NCP in February for mediation.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
Both sides have agreed to a two-day mediation next week.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
Just a year into his premiership in 1998, Blair sealed, with US mediation, one of his signature achievements in office – the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
In May this year, PEOPLE confirmed the former couple had settled their divorce through mediation, nearly ten months after their split.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mediation
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Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
Both sides have agreed to a two-day mediation next week.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
Just a year into his premiership in 1998, Blair sealed, with US mediation, one of his signature achievements in office – the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
In May this year, PEOPLE confirmed the former couple had settled their divorce through mediation, nearly ten months after their split.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mediation
Cite this Entry
“Mediation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mediation. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
mediation
noun
me·di·a·tion
ˌmēd-ē-ˈā-shən
: the act or process of mediating something (as a physical process)
Legal Definition
mediation
noun
me·di·a·tion
ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən
: nonbinding intervention between parties to promote resolution of a grievance, reconciliation, settlement, or compromise compare arbitration
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