mid·dle-of-the-road
ˈmi-dᵊl-əv-ṯẖə-ˈrōd 
: standing for or following a course of action midway between extremes
especially
: being neither liberal nor conservative in politics
: a course of action or a standpoint midway between extremes
middle-of-the-road·er
plural -s
1
: one that takes or advocates a course of action midway between extremes
2
: one that stands midway between extremes (as in opinions)
Examples of middle-of-the-road in a Sentence
Adjective
a candidate with middle-of-the-road views on most hot-button issues
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
The film shows you how Lean, for all his lavishly exacting middle-of-the-road classicism, was a radical filmmaker and perhaps the key inventor (along with Hitchcock) of modern Hollywood cinema.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 May 2026
Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Based in the middle of the country, and middle of the road in terms of recent, unremarkable achievement, and unlikely to polarize or offend millions of Prince William’s future subjects, Aston Villa was the perfect choice for someone who hopes to unify rather than divide.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
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Adjective
Fans are hoping for a more balanced product where the top spending teams, like the Dodgers who have won the last two World Series, don’t have the same advantage as teams with middle-of-the-road payrolls.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
The film shows you how Lean, for all his lavishly exacting middle-of-the-road classicism, was a radical filmmaker and perhaps the key inventor (along with Hitchcock) of modern Hollywood cinema.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 May 2026
Noun phrase
All three of them also identified the same soldier – standing in the middle of the road, no more than 30 feet from the vehicle – as the one who opened fire.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Based in the middle of the country, and middle of the road in terms of recent, unremarkable achievement, and unlikely to polarize or offend millions of Prince William’s future subjects, Aston Villa was the perfect choice for someone who hopes to unify rather than divide.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Cite this Entry
“Middle-of-the-road.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middle-of-the-road. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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