1
as in temperate
avoiding extremes in behavior or expression
he was only a moderate drinker, generally stopping after a couple of glasses of wine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in central
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
the principal's moderate position on cell phones is that students can use them at school but only for emergencies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
a moderate snowfall was forecast for the region
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in mild
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
a city that is celebrated for its moderate climate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in centrist
a person who holds moderate views
to the community's detriment, moderates were often shouted down at town meetings by the local hotheads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the wind began to moderate as the night wore on
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 moderate
Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Current government health recommendations advise moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, and Zheng says that his study shows that even 15 minutes a day can provide benefits.
—Alice Park, Time, 29 July 2025
Nicole Russell, USA Today, 18 July 2025
Conversely, in areas with many hard-left or hard-right voters, ranked choice voting could push moderates to adopt more extreme positions to gain second- or third-choice support.
—Sean McMorris, Mercury News, 17 July 2025
Nick Romano, EW.com, 27 July 2025
The party has been unable to come up with a coherent message after being routed by Trump and the Republicans in November, failing to satisfy centrists looking to moderate their image and leftists hoping to intensify their message.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
The smoke has led to hazy skies and moderate air quality levels across much of the Puget Sound region.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Current government health recommendations advise moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, and Zheng says that his study shows that even 15 minutes a day can provide benefits.
—Alice Park, Time, 29 July 2025
Noun
Republicans have been split among different factions for a long time – there are MAGA Republicans, traditional conservatives and right moderates, who once were the foundation of the GOP but who’ve lost influence in the past decade.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 18 July 2025
Conversely, in areas with many hard-left or hard-right voters, ranked choice voting could push moderates to adopt more extreme positions to gain second- or third-choice support.
—Sean McMorris, Mercury News, 17 July 2025
Verb
And although DeKnight told EW that Spartacus himself is still dead in the timeline of this successor show, Liam McIntyre, who played the role on the previous Vengeance and War of the Damned seasons of the original drama, returned to moderate the conversation.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 27 July 2025
The party has been unable to come up with a coherent message after being routed by Trump and the Republicans in November, failing to satisfy centrists looking to moderate their image and leftists hoping to intensify their message.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
-
Those individuals experienced up to an 8 percent additional drop in kidney function each year compared with those living in temperate climates.—
Nora Bradford,
Scientific American,
29 July 2025
-
The list includes places like Malta, a five-island nation with terrific beaches, a temperate climate and low crime, and Belize, the only Central American country with English as its official language.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Sure, the work on NANDA takes place in the context of other protocols like A2A and, famously, MCP, but since those other projects are tied to leading AI companies, why not involve academia in something so central to future interface design?—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
9 Aug. 2025
-
The competitions for both features and shorts are central.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s up 3% on average, compared with the start of the 2024 school year.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The 16 analysts who cover the stock estimate 8.8% upside given an average price target of $219, according to TipRanks.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Human cases are typically mild, but about 1 in 150 can lead to serious illness or death.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The reality is that consumer inflation (the kind regular schmoes like us feel) was pretty mild.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But many voters in this heartland state remain pragmatic centrists, reflecting their Midwestern sensibilities.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Rather than a right/left divide on the role of government, the main debate going forward will be between centrists and populists.—
Allison Schrager,
Twin Cities,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
The top three contributors to hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Gross profit decreased 12% compared to last year's second quarter end, Kodak disclosed, and its cash balance sits at $155 million, marking a loss of just under 23% since the end of December.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But the whisky never strays too far from its wood-spiced core, with restrained elements of aspen, pine, birch, and cedar wood.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Those gaudy, ridiculous 19th-century renovations lasted about 20 years, after which Theodore Roosevelt tore them out in favor of the restrained work of McKim, Mead & White, which laid the visual foundation for the rooms’ appearance today.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The manufacturers that produce these gases typically are located in communities where the people are Black, Latino or Native American and earn less money than the state median income.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The median age of first-time homeowners is now 38 years old, an all-time high, according to a 2024 report by the National Association of Realtors.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share