median 1 of 2

Definition of mediannext

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
However, members of the rate-setting committee’s median expectation for the rate released March 18 implied one quarter-point cut will come before the end of the year. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 8 May 2026 The median home price in Howell is $385,000, Redfin said. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Noun
From October 2025 to the end of February 2026, the median wait time for renewals was about 70 days, compared to about 15 days in fiscal year 2025, according to USCIS. ABC News, 1 May 2026 Contemplate local median home values – the overall price a typical buyer might pay – in terms of how many years of what a monthly rental costs. Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
Adjective
  • Those ratings create an estimate of how many goals each team is expected to score and allow in a game against an average opponent at a neutral site.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • So far, the main direct threat that average Americans seem to have faced from the Iran War has been higher gasoline prices.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • More than half of Democrats, who control both the House and Senate, agreed this year to co-sponsor at least one bill to create a new state income tax credit for low- and middle-income families with children.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
  • Others in attendance had more specific local issues on their mind, like the city’s plan for a new jail, which is currently supposed to be located in the East Bottoms, near Frontier STEM High School and its elementary and middle feeder schools.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Following a burst of gang violence in 2022, Bukele announced a then-temporary state of emergency, which has become the new normal in the Central American nation as it's been extended for years.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Roberts had yet to figure out a new normal for the top of the batting order without Betts.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The most famous is the 16th-century Rialto Bridge, which sits roughly at the halfway point and is considered a remarkable architectural and engineering achievement of the Renaissance period.
    Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The fifth and final season of Prime Video’s superhero satire series, The Boys, is nearing the halfway point this week.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Team members celebrate next to winning robot Lightning during a medial ceremony after the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.
    Simon Ellery, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
  • As the Transit officers descended down to the 4/5/6 platform, one of Griffin’s victims came staggering up the stairs, seeking medial attention, Tisch said.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The study found those carrying the GBA1 mutation but without symptoms already show an intermediate microbial profile, suggesting early changes before disease onset.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
  • This intermediate stage could hold the secret to batteries that charge faster and last longer than anything currently on the market.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • As a result, the mid-nineteenth century witnessed a dramatic increase in the creation of posts, including among tribes that had not typically made them before.
    Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • There was no indication of a mid-air collision, and a second aircraft traveling nearby landed safely in New Braunfels.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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