Synonyms of moderate

moderate 1 of 3

adjective

ˈmä-d(ə-)rət 

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

• temperate
• restrained
• typical
• medium
• controlled
• reasonable
• regular
• sensible
• modest
• deliberate
• normal
• inhibited
• calculated
• usual
• average
• curbed
• levelheaded
• rational
• measured
• disciplined
• mediocre
• self-denying
• self-disciplined
• self-controlled
• ordinary
• so-so
• run-of-the-mine
• routine
• run-of-the-mill

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extreme
• excessive
• radical
• unreasonable
• inordinate
• irrational
• immoderate
• intemperate
• extremist
• uncontrolled
• rabid
• unbridled
• unrestrained
• unchecked
• unreasoning
• fanatic

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

• central
• traditional
• neutral
• middle-of-the-road
• centrist
• reasonable
• orthodox
• conventional
• rational
• sensible
• nonrevolutionary
• levelheaded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• radical
• excessive
• ultra
• revolutionary
• conservative
• extremist
• progressive
• liberal
• reactionary
• rightist
• leftist
• violent
• inflammatory
• subversive
• revolutionist
• provocative
• fanatic
• exciting
• provoking
• incendiary
• rabid
• dissenting
• inciting
• agitating
• fomenting
• instigating
• rabble-rousing

3

as in average

being about midway between extremes of amount or size

a moderate snowfall was forecast for the region

Synonyms & Similar Words

• average
• median
• modest
• intermediate
• medium
• reasonable
• middle
• typical
• middling
• mean
• normal
• midsize
• adequate
• standard
• usual
• regular
• conventional
• tolerable
• popular
• common
• routine
• commonplace
• passable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extreme
• excessive
• unusual
• rare
• special
• exceptional
• strange
• uncommon
• unique
• private
• individual
• distinctive
• peculiar
• idiosyncratic

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

• temperate
• mild
• gentle
• sunny
• soft
• genial
• equable
• balmy
• clement
• peaceful
• pleasant
• delightful
• clear
• cloudless
• calm
• tranquil
• fair
• placid
• sunshiny
• rainless
• fine
• halcyon

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• severe
• harsh
• intemperate
• rough
• inclement
• breezy
• stormy
• gusty
• windy
• blustery
• gray
• rainy
• misty
• dismal
• cloudy
• gloomy
• hazy
• blustering
• overcast
• bleak
• foggy
• bitter
• raw
• squally
• dirty
• nasty
• foul
• showery
• sunless

moderate

2 of 3

noun

ˈmä-d(ə-)rət 

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

• centrist
• middle-of-the-roader
• progressive
• reformer
• compromiser
• accommodationist

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extremist
• revolutionary
• conservative
• revolutionist
• liberal
• rightist
• radical
• reactionary
• leftist
• ultraist
• right-winger
• left-winger

moderate

3 of 3

verb

ˈmä-də-ˌrāt 

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

• decrease
• diminish
• subside
• decline
• ease
• fall
• shrink
• vanish
• lower
• ebb
• taper
• die (away or down or out)
• fall away
• taper off
• lessen
• drain (away)
• recede
• drop (off)
• dwindle
• weaken
• pall
• relent
• wane
• abate
• remit
• ratchet (down)
• phase down
• rachet (down)
• let up
• evaporate
• slow (down)
• de-escalate
• tail (off)
• alleviate
• collapse
• fade (away)
• compress
• melt (away)
• relax
• slacken
• constrict
• peter (out)
• condense
• contract
• give out
• cave (in)
• fritter (away)
• flag
• sink
• deflate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• rise
• build
• grow
• swell
• intensify
• expand
• accumulate
• mount
• escalate
• enlarge
• pick up
• appear
• soar
• emerge
• wax
• show up
• snowball
• mushroom
• balloon
• burgeon
• blow up
• elongate
• lengthen
• distend

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of moderate

Adjective

More than 60% reported moderate or high levels of fear, including about 17% who fell in the high-fear range. — Jillian Turanovic, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

There are a lot of people who fit into the category of six months and older, moderate-to-severe eczema, for whom prescription topicals have not treated the condition. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Noun

The outcome could reshape Brazil’s ties with the United States and China, as both candidates try to win over moderates. — Mauricio Savarese, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Two new books argue that this is the wrong debate to be having, since swing voters, with all their idiosyncrasies, don’t see politics through a lens of moderates versus progressives. — Isaac Arnsdorf, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026

Verb

But Brattin, who has positioned himself in the right wing of the Republican Party, didn’t seek to moderate his message. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

The axis countries may moderate their anti-American rhetoric when doing so is tactically useful, but their motivation to reduce their vulnerability to American power remains. — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026