as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
several centrist candidates were elected, apparently in a reaction against the extremists
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in middle-of-the-roader
a person who holds moderate views
the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of centrist
Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
His centrist Moderate party could determine whether Frederiksen can serve a third term at the helm of the European Union and NATO country of some 6 million people.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a centrist think tank, says noncitizen voting is rare and that the bill would create barriers to voting.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Adjective
Nor is there much daylight between its platform and that of such centrist enterprises as the Abundance movement, which calls for prosperity through deregulation.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
His centrist Moderate party could determine whether Frederiksen can serve a third term at the helm of the European Union and NATO country of some 6 million people.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
The convergence of Abundance centrists and conservative environmentalists would seem to belie the ACC’s assertion that the environmental movement is dominated by radicals who would rather sabotage the American economy than accept any of the compromises necessary to achieve a prosperous future.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a centrist think tank, says noncitizen voting is rare and that the bill would create barriers to voting.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for centrist
Adjective
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That means one minute of vigorous exercise is equal to two minutes of moderate.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Even moderate rainfall can quickly transform these waterways into destructive torrents that overflow into nearby townships, including Friendswood and League City.—
Dominic Boyer,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line from Tuesday to Wednesday, killing an 8-year-old boy in the central Cherkasy region and a woman who was in a kiosk near a bus stop that was hit in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Zelenskyy and local officials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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This will be Powell’s last meeting with central bankers as Kevin Warsh is set to take over as Federal Reserve chair next month.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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