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

The attorney noted that immediately after the midterm elections last week, lawmakers such as Garcia accompanied their warnings of upcoming investigations with Instagram posts that received media attention and thousands of reshares. — Pranshu Verma The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Democrats should focus on enacting their legislative agenda when the new Congress convenes in January following the party’s decisive victories in this week’s midterm elections. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2026

Next week, Jason speaks with 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner and Washington Post White House bureau chief Isaac Arnsdorf, about the blue tsunami in the 2026 midterms. — Press Freedom Desk, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026

The most consequential result of the midterms has been to break the fever of Trumpism and to diminish its threat to democratic institutions, to personal and civil liberties, and to decency itself. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for midterm

• affirm
• bookworm
• budworm
• confirm
• cutworm
• earthworm
• infirm
• ringworm
• tapeworm
• wireworm
• angiosperm
• echinoderm