as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
a candidate with middle-of-the-road views on most hot-button issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
middle of the road
2 of 2phrase
as in middle
a middle point between extremes
I'm in the middle of the road on that issue.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middle-of-the-road
George E. Mitchell, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Yet, unlike the middle-of-the-road duo, Fetterman does not wield his would-be leverage to score policy wins.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
The organization clearly needs a youth infusion in the wings behind a stable starting offensive front, and Denver won’t be content to bring back the exact same middle-of-the-road TE room — Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull — to Week 1 in 2026.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
There’s also a middle-of-the-road view, where AI leads to more jobs over the long term but only after a very disruptive transition period.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
Flexible moderates, roughly 35% of the survey’s respondents, are a middle-of-the-road group without strong political or religious motivations.
—George E. Mitchell, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Yet, unlike the middle-of-the-road duo, Fetterman does not wield his would-be leverage to score policy wins.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
The organization clearly needs a youth infusion in the wings behind a stable starting offensive front, and Denver won’t be content to bring back the exact same middle-of-the-road TE room — Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull — to Week 1 in 2026.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
There’s also a middle-of-the-road view, where AI leads to more jobs over the long term but only after a very disruptive transition period.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
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Homeowners in moderate coastal climates and the lower Midwest might be growing cool-season or warm-season grass.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
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There is a moderate risk of rip currents at area beaches.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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For Ginsberg, ever-attuned to the rhythmic physicality of verse, the central atom of poetry wasn’t the line or the foot, but rather the breath, emphasizing that his were longer than his free verse hero Whitman because the good, grey poet probably had smaller lungs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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According to the sign on the set before the curtain rises, the population of Jerome, an actual former copper-mining town in central Arizona, has evaporated, giving it ghost status.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Launched in Taiwan last month to the sound of drums and a traditional lion dance, the 21,000-ton civilian vessel connects the northern Taiwan port of Keelung with the island of Ishigaki, in southwestern Japan’s idyllic Okinawa prefecture.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
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At Miraval Berkshires, guests are immersed in an intimate, nature-rich setting that invites connection, whether that means getting to know others, engaging with our expert specialists, exploring team challenges, or participating in ceremonies grounded in traditional wisdom.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Middle-of-the-road.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-of-the-road. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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