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median

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word median distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of median are average, mean, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When would average be a good substitute for median?

The meanings of average and median largely overlap; however, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of median?

The words mean and median can be used in similar contexts, but mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

When might norm be a better fit than median?

In some situations, the words norm and median are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of median
Adjective
More recent estimates from ValuePenguin put the median closer to $3,400 as of 2024, reflecting slight growth but still underscoring how little liquidity most families maintain. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 Flat monthly with median of $900,000; flat year over year. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
In Austin, the median rent price was $1,436, down from its September 2022 peak of $1,659. Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 Southern California’s $819,000 median sales price in July was 1% less than the $831,100 record set in June. Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
Adjective
  • That is, with Venus and earth-like planets at habitable distances from their stars as well as gas giants orbiting at Jupiter-like distances (which in our solar system’s case is 5 astronomical units), or five times the average distance between the Earth and sun.
    Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The system yields superior thermoelectric performance and higher average ZT values than previously reported p-type AgCuTe materials.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Your mind might immediately go to the early-years Redford, or the heyday Redford of the 1970s, or even the middle-aged Redford who gave projects a sense of gravitas.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Unfortunately, this just seems to be the new normal for DJI, and not just for drones.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Temperatures will be near seasonal normals today, then cooler than normal again tomorrow.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Only two of Swift’s albums appear below the halfway mark on the 200-spot ranking.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As Phoenix passes the halfway mark of this year’s monsoon, dramatic downpours, gusty haboobs and streaks of lightning across the sky have been mostly absent.
    Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Anchoring the disparate variants of the LeBron 23 while serving as a containment system is a large panel shaped like James’ crown logo taking up the majority of the medial upper.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, there’s a name for this: shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome in medical-speak.
    Jenny McCoy, SELF, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The intermediate stage is known as ENSO-Neutral, when neither La Niña nor El Niño are present.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
  • This marks a bullish reversal, and the new uptrend is supported by positive intermediate-term momentum per the weekly MACD indicator.
    Katie Stockton, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The National Hurricane Center says a tropical depression is likely to form by mid to late week as the system moves west-northwestward.
    Daniel Peck, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Best straight-leg jeans Top light-wash straight-leg jeans These jeans are a mid-waist fit and use elastane to provide a little bit of give as opposed to a traditional cotton denim material.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

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