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
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
They were compared to 15 who scored very high and were basically music lovers, and another 15 who were middle-of-the-road between those two extremes.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
The film, which also stars the singer-songwriter Halsey, received middle-of-the-road reviews from critics and barely made a dent with $500,000 in sales from 1,100 theaters.
—Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Yet just a few years ago, Arias was a middle-of-the-road midfielder for middle-of-the-road clubs in his homeland of Colombia.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
There might be nothing worse in the NFL than being a middle-of-the-road team that cannot make noise deep into the postseason.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
They were compared to 15 who scored very high and were basically music lovers, and another 15 who were middle-of-the-road between those two extremes.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
The film, which also stars the singer-songwriter Halsey, received middle-of-the-road reviews from critics and barely made a dent with $500,000 in sales from 1,100 theaters.
—Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Yet just a few years ago, Arias was a middle-of-the-road midfielder for middle-of-the-road clubs in his homeland of Colombia.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-of-the-road
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-of-the-road
Adjective
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This pair has 15-20 mmHg of compression, the perfect moderate amount for a shorter flight.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Even moderate drinking can cause metabolic stress, inflammation, impaired detoxification and hormonal shifts, Hyman said, which can affect nearly every organ system in the body.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The west slopes of the central Appalachians could pick up several inches Monday.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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Behind him, Liverpool need to be wary of Foden, who is beginning to again look like the player who was central to City’s 2023-24 title win.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Broncos are not a Super Bowl team in the traditional sense, not without more weapons offensively, and a special teams boost from Marvin Mims Jr.—
Troy Renck The Denver Post,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Quarter-zip sweatshirts feel sporty yet polished, offering the same comfort as traditional sweats with a more intentional silhouette.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 2026.
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