moderate

adjective

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mod·er·ate | \ ˈmä-d(ə-)rət

Definition of moderate

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : avoiding extremes of behavior or expression : observing reasonable limits a moderate drinker

b : calm, temperate Though very much in favor of the measure, he expressed himself in moderate language.

2a : tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension a family of moderate income

b : having average or less than average quality : mediocre wrote moderate poetry to the end of his life— Carl Van Doren

3 : not violent, severe, or intense a moderate climate moderate winters cook over moderate heat

4 : professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme had left-wing, moderate, and right-wing candidates vying for the nomination

5 : limited in scope or effect His new wealth had only a moderate effect on his way of life.

6 : not expensive : reasonable or low in price a moderate price for a new house

7 of a color : of medium lightness and medium chroma a moderate red

moderate

verb

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmä-də-ˌrāt

moderated; moderating

Definition of moderate (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to lessen the intensity or extremeness of the sun moderated the chill

2 : to preside over or act as chairman of moderated the board of directors meeting moderated the debate

intransitive verb

1 : to act as a moderator He moderated on a weekly panel show.

2 : to become less violent, severe, or intense the wind began to moderate

moderate

noun

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmä-d(ə-)rət

Definition of moderate (Entry 3 of 3)

: one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group favoring a moderate course or program

Other Words from moderate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About moderate

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Examples of moderate in a Sentence

Adjective Her doctor recommended moderate exercise. There were moderate levels of chemicals in the lake. drinking moderate amounts of coffee Most of these medicines relieve mild to moderate pain. a family of moderate income a book of moderate length The group met with only moderate success. a writer of moderate talent The hotel offers comfortable rooms at moderate prices. Both moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans can agree on this new law. Verb The protesters have been unwilling to moderate their demands. She moderates at our office meetings. She moderates our discussions so that we don't argue or talk at the same time. Noun Moderates from both political parties have agreed on an economic plan. to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The characterization is bound to frustrate nine moderate House Democrats who pressed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure package brokered in the Senate by Sept. 27. — Matthew Brown, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2021 On Friday, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said their results (still not peer-reviewed) demonstrate their novel drug molnupiravir cut in half the rate of hospitalization and death in persons with mild to moderate disease. — Kent Sepkowitz, CNN, 2 Oct. 2021 Two antibody treatments are currently available for COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate disease. — Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021 The House voted 219 - 212, with Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine), both moderate Democrats, voting against the bill, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), a frequent critic of his own party, voting for it. — Andrew Solender, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2021 All the vaccines currently authorized for use in the US have been shown to help prevent infections and protect against moderate and severe disease. — Brandon Guthrie, Quartz, 17 Aug. 2021 All the vaccines currently authorized for use in the U.S. have been shown to help prevent infections and protect against moderate and severe disease. — Brandon Guthrie, The Conversation, 16 Aug. 2021 Novavax’s large North American trial in June produced efficacy results on par with messenger RNA vaccines, with 90% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% efficacy against moderate and severe disease. — Meredith Wadman, Science | AAAS, 6 Aug. 2021 The conflict is between moderate House Democrats who want a victory on infrastructure while negotiations continue on the larger package, and progressive Democrats, who want both bills to move in tandem. — Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The group maintained its view that the global growth will moderate to 4.9% in 2022. — Yuka Hayashi, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021 Some in this group are drunk on Chinese money, and some are blinded by a naïve hope that China will moderate. — Tom Cotton, National Review, 12 Oct. 2021 But analysts are hoping that the market will moderate in the months ahead. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, 28 Sep. 2021 And many analysts predicted home price gains would moderate soon, because incomes can’t support continued price appreciation at the 20% levels seen earlier this year. — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2021 Meanwhile, the constant refrain from advocates that more supply will moderate prices seems to have become more accepted. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2021 For months, Biden officials have offered the hopeful rationale that the Taliban might moderate their behavior once in power to win diplomatic recognition and foreign aid. — New York Times, 15 Aug. 2021 Conditions should moderate in cities near the coast over the coming days, but hot conditions won't let up in more interior areas for the foreseeable future. — Nicholas Reimann, Forbes, 28 June 2021 Inflation is expected to moderate next year to a level of 2.4%, according to the group. — CBS News, 27 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Systemic treatments: These may be used to help people with severe cases of scalp psoriasis, or for people with scalp psoriasis and moderate-to-severe whole body psoriasis. — Sara Gaynes Levy, SELF, 11 Oct. 2021 The 64-year-old former foreign minister was once seen as an indecisive moderate. — Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2021 The 64-year-old former foreign minister was once seen as an indecisive moderate. — Mari Yamaguchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Sep. 2021 As a committed moderate in an evenly divided upper chamber, Manchin by contrast is often the deciding vote on partisan matters like Democrats' $2.1 trillion pandemic stimulus package and the confirmations of executive branch leaders. — Matthew Brown, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2021 The Nebraska moderate, and other holdouts, forced concessions. — John Harwood, CNN, 25 July 2021 Also flashing a green light — for now — is Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a moderate who helped write the bipartisan infrastructure compromise. — Alan Fram, ajc, 7 Aug. 2021 The leading Democrat is Rep. Tim Ryan, a moderate who ran briefly for president in 2020 and who entered July with $2.5 million in the bank. — BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2021 The leading Democrat is Representative Tim Ryan, a moderate who ran briefly for president in 2020, and who entered July with $2.5 million in the bank. — New York Times, 17 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'moderate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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moderantist

moderate

moderate breeze

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Last Updated

14 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moderate. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for moderate

moderate

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of moderate

(Entry 1 of 3)

: average in size or amount : neither too much nor too little

: neither very good nor very bad

: not expensive : not too high in price

moderate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of moderate (Entry 2 of 3)

: to make (something) less harsh, strong, or severe or to become less harsh, strong, or severe

: to guide a discussion or direct a meeting that involves a group of people

moderate

noun

English Language Learners Definition of moderate (Entry 3 of 3)

: a person whose political ideas are not extreme : a person who has moderate opinions or is a member of a moderate political group

See the full definition for moderate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

moderate

adjective

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmä-də-rət

Kids Definition of moderate

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : neither too much nor too little moderate heat

2 : neither very good nor very bad moderate success

3 : not expensive : reasonable moderate rates

4 : not extreme or excessive a moderate point of view a moderate eater

moderate

verb

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmä-də-ˌrāt

moderated; moderating

Kids Definition of moderate (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make or become less extreme or severe

moderate

adjective

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmäd-(ə-)rət

Medical Definition of moderate

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : avoiding extremes of behavior : observing reasonable limits a moderate drinker

2 : not severe in effect or degree moderate alcohol consumption the abdomen was mildly distended with moderate tenderness— Timothy Melester et al. moderate developmental disabilities

moderate

transitive verb

mod·er·ate | \ ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt

moderated; moderating

Medical Definition of moderate (Entry 2 of 2)

: to reduce the speed or energy of (neutrons)