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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of centrist
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 1 May 2026
So has the centrist former president Hassan Rouhani.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 1 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Adjective
On both sides, many of these races feature a test between centrist candidates and those on the farther edges of their respective parties, Stewart says.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 1 May 2026
So has the centrist former president Hassan Rouhani.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 1 May 2026
Noun
Austria's three-party centrist coalition is now joining the trend.
—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
See All Example Sentences for centrist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for centrist
Adjective
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Lamont, a fiscal moderate, has been reluctant to support spending that would exceed the cap on a recurring basis and would prefer legislators pay for extra town aid by finding offsetting cuts elsewhere in the budget.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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Kempthorne, a moderate Republican, was elected mayor of Boise in 1985 at age 34, and he was credited with revitalizing the downtown by securing an agreement to build a convention center and promoting other development.—
Gene Johnson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The fifth commission for the plinth on the High Line elevated park is an homage to the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the pair of 6th-century colossi in central Afghanistan that the Taliban blew up in 2001.—
Benjamin Sutton,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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In an industry where the typical sample is a size zero, weight has always been central to a model’s success.—
Rory Satran,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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