1
as in temperate
avoiding extremes in behavior or expression
he was only a moderate drinker, generally stopping after a couple of glasses of wine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in central
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
the principal's moderate position on cell phones is that students can use them at school but only for emergencies
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3
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
a moderate snowfall was forecast for the region
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4
as in mild
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
a city that is celebrated for its moderate climate
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as in centrist
a person who holds moderate views
to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads
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as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the wind began to moderate as the night wore on
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moderate
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026
In Maine, Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, have backed Mills, a 78-year-old moderate in her second term.
—Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Some see this as a win for moderates over progressives.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Questions and comments will be moderated, read, and answered as time allows.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
Even moderate turbulence is expected to rise sharply.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026
In Maine, Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, have backed Mills, a 78-year-old moderate in her second term.
—Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
Trump had suggested Iranians would overthrow their government, but lately hinted that regime moderates could take over.
—semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Some see this as a win for moderates over progressives.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Tech companies have been responding to mental health concerns, rolling out new parental controls so parents can keep track of their children’s screen time and moderating harmful content.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Questions and comments will be moderated, read, and answered as time allows.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
-
Great white sharks frequently travel north in the summer and south in the winter, a habit experts suspect has to do with preferring more temperate waters.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The answer was right under its nose—the original site of Art Basel, the namesake of the companies’ major cultural piece of IP, which also happens to be within the serene borders of Switzerland but in a more temperate Rhineland climate.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Research facilities now located in multiple regions will fall under a central research organization based in Fort Collins, the agency said.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Parts of central, north central, and southwest Montana could get 40 mph winds and up to 8 inches of snow in areas below 5,000 feet and up to 16 inches above 5,000 feet from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Thousands are now not showing up for work, hundreds have quit altogether, and the average wait time at airports has reached record levels.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
That’s the view of Robinhood, which counts 250,000 customers paying on average $250 annually to use its Strategies, an AI tool guided by human advisors.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Its red light mode treats fine lines and wrinkles, while the blue light and mixed light modes can help soothe mild to moderate acne.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The most conspicuous act of local resistance — albeit a mild one — was the plea from a group of sheriffs and police chiefs to ease up on deporting undocumented law-abiding immigrants and to provide a path to normalization for the vast majority who have broken no law except by being here.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Austria's three-party centrist coalition is now joining the trend.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The March 24 paper comes from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a centrist, nonpartisan think tank in the nation’s capital.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Guests can participate in coral reef restoration, ecological monitoring and other hands-on initiatives that help decrease The Nam Hai’s environmental footprint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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The agency waived age limits for new recruits, relaxed its vetting process, and decreased the training period for incoming officers.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Grace had given us this restrained performance.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
-
High ceilings, expansive windows, and a restrained neutral palette creates an atmosphere that feels instantly and effortlessly calm.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While the nation’s median age has risen across racial and ethnic groups, the increase is sharpest among White Americans (from 30 to 45 years old) and Black Americans (from 21 to 36 years old).—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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The Bottom Line for Fort Worth Buyers Fort Worth remains more affordable than the national market, with a median home price roughly $70,000 below the national median of approximately $410,000.—
System Process,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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