MIDDLING Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

middling

adjective

ˈmid-liŋ

Definition of middling

as in average

being about midway between extremes of amount or size tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in decent

of average to below average quality was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 middling Bakker was a middling student, but did exhibit an early interest in showbiz and a talent for salesmanship. — Tim Funk, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 Hilton, who polls show down 20% or more, said Sacramento Democrats were at fault for California’s high prices and middling outcomes on issues like homelessness. — Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Clinton’s public favorability is middling at best, rating well below Sanders, the closest thing to a genuinely popular Democrat. — Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026 Likely voters expressed middling support for Proposition 40, a one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ assets intended to compensate for an impending $100 billion in federal healthcare funding cuts. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for middling

Adjective

Mahomes himself has been better, posting his highest yards per attempt average and passer rating since 2022.

— Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Asian jet fuel is trading at just over double the average last year, according to calculations by the International Air Transport Association.

— Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of average

Adjective

Tall Tales, the rooftop lounge, offers a few small bites, such as elote guacamole, along with a menu of cocktails, wine, beer, and a decent selection of nonalcoholic options.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
There should be a decent contingent of American cardinals and archbishops at the games.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

Students are eligible if their household income is no more than 300% of their area’s median gross income.

— Lara Murray-Sterzel, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is limited to people who earn less than 60% of their state's median income.

— Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of median

Adjective

Roan also adds an new verse to the song, slightly changing the lyrics to reference a mediocre female suitor alongside Rodrigo’s original lines.

— Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
Neither release became a theatrical phenomenon, but each earned more than $40 million worldwide — suggesting even mediocre horror films can get respectable returns when their premises are appealing enough.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

Lukic, whose lab continues to scale up its medium-voltage unit, assumed the killer application for SSTs would be EVs.

— Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the coconut milk, ginger, and red onion over low heat for 15 minutes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of medium

Adjective

An uninterrupted trip Stoliker thinks chaos is not a satisfactory explanation for psychedelics’ effect on the brain.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026
After months of negotiations failed to yield a satisfactory agreement, the union approved strike action earlier this month in a vote held in tandem with unions at the Brooklyn Museum and American Folk Art Museum.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

That could create an unusual situation in which an ordinary consumer turns on a feature built into a mainstream device and, at least technically, runs afoul of state law by using it during a private conversation without everyone's consent.

— MacKenzie Sigalos,Annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
Spanish scientists have developed an experimental type of self-disinfecting cotton fabric, which is activated via ordinary white light.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of ordinary

Adjective

Life is a combination of spending time with the difficult ones, the indifferent ones and the awesome ones among them.

— Vinesh Sukumaran, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Police began showing up, flummoxed in the face of an irate attorney, indifferent third-party technicians, and insensate machines.

— Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026