middle-of-the-road

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dle-of-the-road ˈmi-dᵊl-əv-ṯẖə-ˈrōd How to pronounce middle-of-the-road (audio)
: standing for or following a course of action midway between extremes
especially : being neither liberal nor conservative in politics
middle-of-the-roader noun
middle-of-the-roadism noun

middle of the road

2 of 2

noun phrase

: a course of action or a standpoint midway between extremes

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
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.
Adjective
There's no reliable commercial launch vehicle in the United States in this middle-of-the-road performance range. ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025 Standard rooms at more middle-of-the-road properties both on- and off-property start much lower. Eve Chen, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun phrase
The van stopped in the middle of the road to aim for a missed exit. Pilar Arias , Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2025 Maryland is middle of the road in creating turnovers, averaging just 6.8 steals per game. Michael Waterloo, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined above

Noun Phrase

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of middle-of-the-road was in 1891

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Middle-of-the-road.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middle-of-the-road. Accessed 15 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

middle-of-the-road

adjective
mid·​dle-of-the-road
ˌmid-ᵊl-əv-t͟hə-ˈrōd
: standing for or following a course of action midway between extremes
especially : being neither liberal nor conservative in politics
middle-of-the-roader
-ˈrōd-ər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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