midterm

noun

mid·​term ˈmid-ˌtərm (usual for sense 1b) 

-ˈtərm

1

a

: the middle of an academic term

b

: an examination at midterm

2

: the approximate middle of a term of office

Examples of midterm in a Sentence

The students will be busy taking midterms next week.

He dropped the course before midterm.

assessing the President's performance at midterm

Recent Examples on the Web

Another blow is struck when Mitterand’s party loses the midterm elections, bringing a right-wing government to power that has other plans for the famous cube. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025

Meanwhile, Democrats have been left on the sidelines, hoping the GOP implodes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 May 2025

In 2010 — a Republican wave year in the first midterm election of President Barack Obama’s administration — five of the state’s then-19 House seats saw new GOP members, four of them defeating Democratic incumbents. —Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025

Though an officially nonpartisan race, the Democrat-Republican matchup took on heavily partisan tones at the tail end, acting as a possible bellwether for 2026 midterm elections. —Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for midterm

• affirm
• bookworm
• confirm
• cutworm
• earthworm
• infirm
• tapeworm
• wireworm
• angiosperm
• echinoderm
• berm
• ferm