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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
The winning neighborhoods experienced a 105 percent change in year-over-year home sales, with a median sale price of $1,397,000. Jenison, Michigan, and Campton Hills and St. Charles, Illinois, are second and third, respectively. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025 Industrial output expanded by 7.7% from a year earlier, versus median estimates of 5.8%. Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
The statewide median home price was $829,060, down 1.2% from January. David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025 The team has promised to set aside 2,000 residential units for households earning 80% or less of the area median income, or what’s considered affordable housing. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
Adjective
  • The American Public Health Association says that as global average temperatures rise, these trends will continue and make allergies an increasing public health concern.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The area normally can expect 38.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago was warmer than average during the 2023-24 season, which meant snow was scarce.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2025
  • While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The movie’s over-all arc is a common one: from the unquestioned routines of daily life to the strange new normal of risks and precautions, fears and constraints, illness and deaths; from there to an eventual sense of wary relief.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The bottom line is that nearly four years into this new normal in college football, NFL teams are still trying to master a transfer landscape that isn’t going away.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Find the halfway point between the two, and head in the direction of Polaris.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Season four of Hacks is well underway, with the halfway mark on the horizon next week.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Expanding National Institutes of Health medial research by 60% over the last decade.
    Dick Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Varma is an associate professor of the psychological/medial anthropology subfield and the vice chair of undergraduate studies.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Sallas and his team cater to both beginner and intermediate riders, educating on everything from surf etiquette and wave knowledge to performing more advanced maneuvers like cutbacks and snaps.
    Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Future-back thinking can foster such quantum leaps as leaders consider the market 15 to 20 years out, rather than incremental present-forward approaches with shorter strategic plans advancing through intermediate positions toward a goal.
    Gregory Crawford, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • From its earliest rumblings in the mid 1950s to the current version of the Ford Mustang, American automotive enthusiasts have consistently celebrated the muscle car from its rise in the 1960s, to its fall in the 1970s, and through its resurgence in the 1980s.
    Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The Dolphins would be wise to trade down to acquire Grant, who could likely be selected in the mid 20s or upper 20s of the first round.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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