middleman

noun

mid·​dle·​man ˈmi-dᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
: an intermediary or agent between two parties
especially : a dealer, agent, or company intermediate between the producer of goods and the retailer or consumer

Examples of middleman in a Sentence

The Internet helps consumers save money by buying products directly from companies and eliminating the middleman. We've cut out the middleman and can reduce prices for our customers. He acted as the middleman in the talks between labor and management.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But so have the forces pushing patients toward compounding in the first place: brand drugs priced out of reach, limited insurance coverage, and middlemen who distort access. Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 According to Marcus, Phaedra used a middleman to pay him off with an envelope of cash, which sounds dramatic but, contrary to what Brit said, an anonymous paper trail is probably harder to track these days than using anything electronic. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 30 June 2025 In that case, shadowy middlemen dispensed bribes of $200 to $250 per account to Bank of America employees who overrode internal compliance systems to open accounts for overseas Chinese citizens who weren’t physically present at the branch to open the accounts, in violation of the bank’s rules. Cezary Podkul, ProPublica, 25 June 2025 The use of legal middlemen is a national trend and allows hospitals to hide their involvement, avoiding the bad publicity these lawsuits can bring, the research contends. Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for middleman

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of middleman was in 1677

Cite this Entry

“Middleman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middleman. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

middleman

noun
mid·​dle·​man ˈmid-ᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
: go-between
especially : a dealer between the producer of goods and the consumer

More from Merriam-Webster on middleman

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