moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmä-də-ˌrā-tər 

plural moderators

1

: someone who presides over an assembly, meeting, or discussion: such as

a

: the chairperson of a discussion group

b

: a person who administers an online forum, chat room, or group

c

: the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting

d

: the presiding officer of a Presbyterian governing body

2

: one who arbitrates : mediator

3

: a substance (such as graphite) used for slowing neutrons in a nuclear reactor

moderatorship

ˈmä-də-ˌrā-tər-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms of moderator

• chairperson
• president
• chairman
• presider

Examples of moderator in a Sentence

The moderator allowed audience members to ask the governor questions.

She acts as the moderator in our office meetings.

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea of replacing caddies with animals, lightheartedly suggested by moderator Eben Novy-Williams? —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2025

His $193 million executive compensation, which turned the heads of unpaid moderators last year, included a $550,000 annual salary, with the rest tied up in stock. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025

News correspondent Francesca Amiker and NPR News Culture Desk correspondent Mandalit del Barco will also join the program as moderators for short conversations. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025

The site is supported by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, which employs automated bots and human moderators to prevent vandalism, resolve disputes, and ensure content follows a core set of policies, like maintaining a neutral point of view and providing verifiable sources for information. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for moderator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

1

: one that moderates: as

a

: the leader of a Presbyterian governing body

b

: the chairperson of a town meeting

c

: the chairperson of a discussion group (as on television)

2

: a substance (as graphite) used for slowing down neutrons in a nuclear reactor

Medical Definition

moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

: a substance (as graphite, deuterium in heavy water, or beryllium) used for slowing down neutrons in a nuclear reactor