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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
In North America, home to the U.S., a median of 49% of respondents reported thriving in 2024. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2025 And while that is the median, some job seekers have been on the market for over a year. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
According to the city’s agenda, housing will be leased to individuals or families earning at or below 80% of the area’s median income, with the average of all units totaling 60% area median income. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025 For boys, the median age dropped from age 7 to age 5, with nearly half diagnosed before age 5 in 2024. Dr. Christian S. Monsalve, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
Adjective
  • On average, the United States reported 13.9 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2023, according to the center.
    Kate Linderman, Idaho Statesman, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That’s up 3% on average, compared with the start of the 2024 school year.
    Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Offer Mentorship Or Coaching Opportunities Provide middle managers with opportunities for mentorship and career coaching.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • While no two years are the same in terms of weather in Tennessee, there are measured normals for regions in the state.
    Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 17 July 2025
  • Containerization is the new normal for scalable AI systems.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 26 June 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
  • Key concept: Similar brain patterns in people with shared positive traits Previous studies have shown that people with a higher social status—more central in their networks—and those with lower amounts of loneliness also share similar neural patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex.
    Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
  • But the morning after the Coldplay concert, Kerrigan switched to her maiden name on her social medial profile, according to the New York Post and other outlets.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Develop mechanisms for sharing intermediate results across sessions when appropriate.
    Naren Narendran, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The Trump administration recently implemented a 40% tariff on transshipments, or the movement of goods to an intermediate destination ostensibly with lower levies, to disincentivize this behavior.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The drastic change in temperatures will settle in by Thursday, July 31, with highs in the mid to upper 70s, according to The Weather Channel.
    Abigail Adams, People.com, 28 July 2025
  • After that, though, the state will experience a rare and welcome dissipation of heat and humidity, with temperatures dropping into the mid-to-high 70s with dew points down in the 50s.
    Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 28 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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