median 1 of 2

Definition of mediannext

median

2 of 2

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

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
Pancreatic cancer drug doubles median survival time A new pancreatic cancer drug doubled median survival time, a significant, if imperfect, advance against a stubborn disease. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Terracina at Winding Creek is available to households that earn 30% to 70% of the median income for Placer County, ranging from about $27,000 for a single person to more than $100,000 for a six-person household. Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
The March median home price, up 18% from last year, surpassed the April 2022 peak of $2 million, according to Compass. Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026 The median home value in McCord is $202,400, which is half the national median of $405,000. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
Adjective
  • Monday's highs are only in the 50s, and frost or freeze advisories are possible by Tuesday morning with lows in the mid-30s, which is the average low in early December.
    Bill Kelly, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The average Social Security retirement benefit in 2026 is just $2,071 per month.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Their exchanges take place in a conversational middle range that puts their emotional substance—bewilderment, frustration, anger, quiet despair—into sharp and poignant contrast.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Accepts middle and high school-age children only.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • With snowfall 60% below normal for the season through February in its home state of Colorado and low in neighboring Utah, Vail has seen skiers and snowboarders stay away in droves.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • As the crew made it to the halfway point between the Earth and the moon, NASA shared an update at midnight on April 4.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
  • And finally… The highlight of Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw at Porto in the Europe League’s quarter-finals last night was Porto’s Martim Fernandes conceding this early own goal from not far off the halfway line.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The victim was injured but refused medial attention.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 11 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
  • At intermediate speeds, the anisotropic flow of particles depends on the number of quarks that compose them.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) would close the gap between LIGO and LISA by tuning in to waves with intermediate wavelengths.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The unveiling of the new wing had been timed to coincide with a mid-career retrospective of an Italian sculptor.
    Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • The aperitivo—mid-morning snack accompanied by booze—is a quintessential part of the Rastro experience, so pepper your bargain-sleuthing with boozy pit stops.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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