mod·er·ate
ˈmä-d(ə-)rət 
1
2
a
: 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
Carl Van Doren3
: 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
moderateness
noun
mod·er·ate
ˈmä-də-ˌrāt
moderated; moderating
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
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
mod·er·ate
ˈmä-d(ə-)rət
: one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group favoring a moderate course or program
Synonyms
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 WebKiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
On Tuesday, Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a moderate, joined the calls.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024
By Charlotte Alter April 17, 2024 7:06 AM EDT
Elise Stefanik is the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP and, since shedding her more moderate persona to fully embrace Donald Trump, is increasingly seen as a standard bearer for the party.
—TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
During times of day when there’s extra power on the Western electric grid — maybe temperatures are moderate in Portland and Seattle, but Montana winds are blowing strong — the Gordon Butte project will use that extra juice to pump water uphill, from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Finally, summer is the high season on the Athens Riviera, but rates drop significantly in the winter (while the temperature remains moderate in the 50s and 60s).
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Both of those bills are now headed to the Senate, which took a significantly more moderate approach to land-use reforms last year.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2024
Anecdotal evidence and academic studies suggest that price increases will be moderate, averaging 7 to 12 percent.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
But these days, the data are less moderate — and more full of momentum.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Following the May 17 performance, Ruffalo and Hecht will conduct an onstage conversation with advocates and experts on the unhoused crisis in the U.S., moderated by The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham.
—Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Apr. 2024
Two public programs on opening day will include a book signing with Gabler and a curator conversation with Jaffe, moderated by Stewart.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
The Seattle date of the book tour, moderated by Lindy West, will stream live on on May 22.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
Investors appeared to warm to the combination of big job gains and moderating wage growth that could keep the Fed's rough forecast of three rate cuts this year intact.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Gantz was brought in as a kind of moderating influence in the country's war cabinet, NPR's Jennifer Ludden explains on Up First.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Topline Annual inflation ticked up in February, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Friday morning, though inflation remains well on its moderating path.
—Derek Saul, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Bobby’s Triple Threat FYC event Sophie Flay moderated a conversation with Food Network’s Bobby Flay, Michael Voltaggio, Tiffany Derry, and Brooke Williamson for Bobby’s Triple Threat on Monday in Los Angeles.
—Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
Philip Elliott, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
That doesn’t mean that the three Trump appointees are moderates.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
His overwhelming primary victories, including more than a dozen on Tuesday that pushed Nikki Haley from the race, have masked his long-term problems with voters who live in the suburbs, those who view themselves as moderates or independents, and Republicans who backed Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2020.
—Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024
Schiff won both liberals and moderates, despite Lee’s close ties to the liberal community.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024
Those moderates borrowed the playbook from their more conservative colleagues – who have repeatedly brought the House to a standstill in recent months – and threatened to tank an unrelated vote and freeze legislative action.
—Ken Tran, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024
Second-safest has been Massachusetts, another generally ultra-blue state which has had only occasional Republican governors since 1970, both of them moderates.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024
Super Tuesday exit polls in California Donald Trump scored a commanding win in California, winning men, women, both White and non-White voters, both moderates and conservatives, both Republicans and independents and voters of all age groups and education levels.
—Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024
Haley does hold a wide lead among those who identify themselves as liberals or moderates (59%-38%) and a narrow one among those who are voting in the GOP primary for the first time (51%-49%).
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Conant points to Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's win three years ago as proof that cultural issues can mobilize moderate voters, since Youngkin was a warrior against school content on racial issues and critical race theory (CRT).
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
On Tuesday, Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a moderate, joined the calls.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024
By Charlotte Alter April 17, 2024 7:06 AM EDT
Elise Stefanik is the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP and, since shedding her more moderate persona to fully embrace Donald Trump, is increasingly seen as a standard bearer for the party.
—TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
During times of day when there’s extra power on the Western electric grid — maybe temperatures are moderate in Portland and Seattle, but Montana winds are blowing strong — the Gordon Butte project will use that extra juice to pump water uphill, from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Finally, summer is the high season on the Athens Riviera, but rates drop significantly in the winter (while the temperature remains moderate in the 50s and 60s).
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Both of those bills are now headed to the Senate, which took a significantly more moderate approach to land-use reforms last year.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2024
Anecdotal evidence and academic studies suggest that price increases will be moderate, averaging 7 to 12 percent.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
But these days, the data are less moderate — and more full of momentum.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
On April 11, the longtime talk show host, 60, sat down for a chat moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper at The Paley Center For Media in New York City.
—Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Following the May 17 performance, Ruffalo and Hecht will conduct an onstage conversation with advocates and experts on the unhoused crisis in the U.S., moderated by The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham.
—Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Apr. 2024
Two public programs on opening day will include a book signing with Gabler and a curator conversation with Jaffe, moderated by Stewart.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
The Seattle date of the book tour, moderated by Lindy West, will stream live on on May 22.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
Investors appeared to warm to the combination of big job gains and moderating wage growth that could keep the Fed's rough forecast of three rate cuts this year intact.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Gantz was brought in as a kind of moderating influence in the country's war cabinet, NPR's Jennifer Ludden explains on Up First.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Topline Annual inflation ticked up in February, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Friday morning, though inflation remains well on its moderating path.
—Derek Saul, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Bobby’s Triple Threat FYC event Sophie Flay moderated a conversation with Food Network’s Bobby Flay, Michael Voltaggio, Tiffany Derry, and Brooke Williamson for Bobby’s Triple Threat on Monday in Los Angeles.
—Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
But a revolt among moderates and GOP lawmakers in at-risk seats put that sect of the party on a collision course with the conservative ideologues.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
That doesn’t mean that the three Trump appointees are moderates.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
His overwhelming primary victories, including more than a dozen on Tuesday that pushed Nikki Haley from the race, have masked his long-term problems with voters who live in the suburbs, those who view themselves as moderates or independents, and Republicans who backed Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2020.
—Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024
Schiff won both liberals and moderates, despite Lee’s close ties to the liberal community.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024
Those moderates borrowed the playbook from their more conservative colleagues – who have repeatedly brought the House to a standstill in recent months – and threatened to tank an unrelated vote and freeze legislative action.
—Ken Tran, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024
Second-safest has been Massachusetts, another generally ultra-blue state which has had only occasional Republican governors since 1970, both of them moderates.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024
Super Tuesday exit polls in California Donald Trump scored a commanding win in California, winning men, women, both White and non-White voters, both moderates and conservatives, both Republicans and independents and voters of all age groups and education levels.
—Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024
Haley does hold a wide lead among those who identify themselves as liberals or moderates (59%-38%) and a narrow one among those who are voting in the GOP primary for the first time (51%-49%).
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moderate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near moderate
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moderate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moderate
1 of 3 adjective
mod·er·ate
ˈmäd-(ə-)rət
1
a
: avoiding or lacking extremes (as in behavior or temperature)
a moderate eater
moderate climates
b
: calm entry 3 sense 2, reasonable
moderate demands
2
a
: neither very much nor very little : average in size or amount
a moderate rain
b
: neither very good nor very bad
met with only moderate success
3
: opposed to major social change or extreme political ideas
a moderate candidate
4
: not expensive : reasonable or low in price
moderate rates
moderately
adverb
moderateness
noun
moderate
2 of 3 verb
mod·er·ate
ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt
moderated; moderating
1
: to make or become less violent, severe, or intense
2
: to guide a discussion or act as chairperson of a meeting
moderate
3 of 3 noun
mod·er·ate
ˈmäd-(ə-)rət
: one who holds moderate views or belongs to a moderate group (as in politics)
Medical Definition
moderate
1 of 2 adjective
mod·er·ate
ˈmäd-(ə-)rət
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.
Timothy Melester et al.moderate developmental disabilities
moderate
2 of 2 transitive verb
mod·er·ate
ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt
moderated; moderating
: to reduce the speed or energy of (neutrons)
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