mediate 1 of 2

as in halfway
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes has a black-and-white view of human nature, believing that there is no mediate state between good and evil

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mediate

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mediate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of mediate are intercede, interfere, interpose, and intervene. While all these words mean "to come or go between," mediate implies intervening between hostile factions.

mediated between the parties

When could intercede be used to replace mediate?

The words intercede and mediate can be used in similar contexts, but intercede implies acting for an offender in begging mercy or forgiveness.

interceded on our behalf

When would interfere be a good substitute for mediate?

The synonyms interfere and mediate are sometimes interchangeable, but interfere implies hindering.

noise interfered with my concentration

When is it sensible to use interpose instead of mediate?

Although the words interpose and mediate have much in common, interpose often implies no more than this.

interposed herself between him and the door

When can intervene be used instead of mediate?

While the synonyms intervene and mediate are close in meaning, intervene may imply an occurring in space or time between two things or a stepping in to stop a conflict.

quarreled until the manager intervened

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 mediate
Adjective
Limited animal and human studies suggest that brain regions (e.g., insula, anterior cingulated [ACC], orbitofrontal [OFC]) and neurotransmitters (dopamine) that mediate substance dependence may also be involved with love addiction (as for PG). Discover Magazine, 27 July 2010 To this day, the United States sits at the center of many of the international institutions that govern the global commons, mediate disputes, and facilitate free trade. Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
Verb
Chimney Cam: Conclave Votes to Elect New Pope Vatican Alters Birth Records for Two African Cardinals Ahead of Conclave Parolin has been praised for his diplomatic work, including mediating between the United States and Cuba. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 Just a day later, a three-judge appellate court panel ruled that the judge had overstepped, finding that the dispute over Voice of America should be mediated through labor and employment administrative processes before they are taken to the courts. David Folkenflik, NPR, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mediate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediate
Adjective
  • In both games, the Celtics led by 20 points after the halfway mark of the third quarter.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
  • Close to the halfway line in the middle of the main stand, the directors’ section just behind.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
  • The decision by Vladimir Putin in 2015 to intervene directly with military forces in the fighting in Syria confirmed the expansion of Russia’s influence in the region.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2025
  • While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • In 2019 he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice related to his bid to persuade Ukraine to interfere in the presidential election.
    David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2025
  • Cobb interfered in the fatal four-way match for the United States Championship as Jacob Fatu, LA Knight, Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre fought for the title.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • President Trump’s intermediary deals with China and the U.K. have done little to convince Jamie Dimon that market volatility arising out of White House tariff policy is over.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 16 May 2025
  • The literary mainstream has always been shaped (for both better and worse) by intermediary institutions like university creative-writing programs, plucky little journals, and newspaper book reviews.
    Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 11 May 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
  • Achieving social control is a central theme of China's AGI pursuit.
    Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • One of these, Tycho crater, will make for an excellent telescope target at this time, as a lip of the 53-mile-wide (85 km) distinctive central impact peak casts strong shadows over the interior of the depression.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Rounding out the top three are San Jose, California and San Francisco, where homeowners paid a median $9,554 and $8,156, respectively.
    Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 24 May 2025
  • That fell short of the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists and marked the weakest April since 2009.
    Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mediate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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