as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
several centrist candidates were elected, apparently in a reaction against the extremists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Ram Ben-Barak, a Knesset member from a centrist party, was the co-author of one of these plans.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Loyalists have defected, and centrists have veered right.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Adjective
The state assemblyman will face off against Cuomo, a centrist Democrat running as an independent after suffering a bruising loss to Mamdani in the June Democratic primary, and the sole Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Ram Ben-Barak, a Knesset member from a centrist party, was the co-author of one of these plans.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
The party will likely look to expand its coalition with the moderate centrist Komeito with at least one of the key opposition parties, which are more centrist.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Loyalists have defected, and centrists have veered right.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for centrist
Adjective
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Cuomo’s base skews older and more moderate.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Stick to moderate amounts, like a small handful of almonds or a bit of dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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More than 20 televisions will show football and sports with live music, pool tables and a central horseshoe bar.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
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Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and took around 250 hostages, and their release has been a central tenet of the first phase of the peace agreement.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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