middling

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dling ˈmid-liŋ How to pronounce middling (audio)
-lən
1
: of middle, medium, or moderate size, degree, or quality
2
3
: of, relating to, or being a middle class
middling adverb
middlingly adverb

middling

2 of 2

noun

1
: any of various commodities of intermediate size, quality, or position
2
middlings plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a granular product of grain milling
especially : a wheat milling by-product used in animal feeds

Example Sentences

Adjective tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Astros have spent much of April mired in a bit of a nervous malaise, with an unproven roster and middling record. Michael Shapiro, Chron, 20 Apr. 2023 Toronto were a middling 46-42 when Montoyo was shown the door and then went 46-28 under John Schneider. Larry Fleisher, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022 With middling representation from major economies, according to a provisional speakers list, the likelihood of confrontations could be smaller, according to observers. Sara Schonhardt, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2022 Yet, the history that could be made hasn’t saved the primary’s final days from being noticeably quieter, or from fears of middling turnout. Matt Stout, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2022 Tannehill, despite his middling rate of production, is quite efficient and manages the Tennessee offense well, especially in the red zone. USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2022 Abreu is a more middling defender than an impressive one, and on a more philosophical level, perhaps devoting major resources to a less premium position isn't the best course of action. Michael Shapiro, Chron, 30 Nov. 2022 This perceptive tragicomedy follows a middling Boston journalist who writes a highly critical profile of a popular self-help guru and soon finds himself at the center of the guru’s circuit. New York Times, 21 Sep. 2022 Their secondary took on even more injuries, blew coverages and made a middling quarterback look like Dan Marino. Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2022
Noun
Wakanda Forever’s two-hour and 41-minute run time, its middling-to-positive reviews, and the absence of original star Chadwick Boseman, who imbued his titular role as Black Panther/King T’Challa with regal swagger and a stately decorum not commonly associated with comic-book movies. Vulture, 14 Nov. 2022 Sainristil and the defense will be tasked with stopping one of the best QB-receiver tandems in the country — TCU’s Max Duggan and Quentin Johnston — while Zinter and Mullings look to take advantage of the Horned Frogs’ middling defense. Amin Touri, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Dec. 2022 Perhaps even worse are the optics, Kingsbury's offense middling at best amid underachieving QB Kyler Murray's constant ranting at his coach and teammates during games. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2022 The margin between contending and middling is razor-thin. Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 20 Oct. 2022 Despite the Broncos middling season overall, Monday’s matchup should be entertaining. Ian Firstenberg, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2022 New presidents often get a middling ranking after one year, with the exception of Trump, who was ranked third from last in 2018 and held the same spot in this year’s survey, said Donald P. Levy, the institute’s director. Jim Puzzanghera, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Pinto, however, believes that higher borrowing costs will cause a middling rather than catastrophic drop in the ranks of purchasers. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 June 2022 The Steelers are averaging a meager 301.8 yards and 16.8 points per game through the first month of the season, pitiful numbers that place them well behind even Denver’s middling (353.8 YPG, 20.8 PPG) offensive attack. Alex Kay, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'middling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of middling was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near middling

Cite this Entry

“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middling. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

middling

1 of 2 adjective
mid·​dling ˈmid-liŋ How to pronounce middling (audio)
-lən
: of medium size, degree, or quality
middling adverb

middling

2 of 2 noun
1
: any of various products of medium quality or size
2
plural : a product produced by milling grain
especially : a product of wheat milling that is used in animal feeds

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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