as in centrists
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in decreases
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the wind began to moderate as the night wore on
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moderates
Sasirekha Subramanian, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The mayoral race isn’t big enough for two moderates in left-leaning Boston.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Polls say voters, especially crucial moderates and independents, are not happy with the immigration crackdown that has led to clashes on the streets of cities like Minneapolis, where an ICE agent killed unarmed motorist Renee Nicole Good.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
Instead, the major political factions of the time--from the moderates to the communists to the Islamists to millions of everyday Iranians--put their trust in the mullahs to bring them a free Iran.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026
Unexpected absences of some Republicans from votes and bouts of resistance from both hard-liners and moderates, who have repeatedly bucked leadership and threatened to derail key bills, are another problem for Johnson.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
The debate within the Democratic coalition is already bigger and louder, dividing moderates in swing states from progressives elated by Mamdani's rocket to victory in the nation's largest city.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
Instead, the major political factions of the time — from the moderates to the communists to the Islamists to millions of everyday Iranians — put their trust in the mullahs to bring them a free Iran.
—Talla Mountjoy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Ironically, Phelps and NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell were both revealed as moderates who tried to get NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France to agree to help the teams with their requests, but were ultimately shot down.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2025
Their answer is a framework that moderates collective impulses while preserving the rights of individuals and minorities.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 26 Nov. 2025
During the second panel of the Pillars of the Green Transition event on September 24, 2025, Newsweek editor Jeff Young moderates a discussion with HowGood CEO Alex Gillett, Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson, Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi and Arva CRO Phil Harris.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
As Tesla’s growth moderates, SpaceX increasingly emerges as the logical new flagship within Musk’s portfolio.
—Sasirekha Subramanian, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The mayoral race isn’t big enough for two moderates in left-leaning Boston.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Polls say voters, especially crucial moderates and independents, are not happy with the immigration crackdown that has led to clashes on the streets of cities like Minneapolis, where an ICE agent killed unarmed motorist Renee Nicole Good.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
Instead, the major political factions of the time--from the moderates to the communists to the Islamists to millions of everyday Iranians--put their trust in the mullahs to bring them a free Iran.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026
Unexpected absences of some Republicans from votes and bouts of resistance from both hard-liners and moderates, who have repeatedly bucked leadership and threatened to derail key bills, are another problem for Johnson.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
The debate within the Democratic coalition is already bigger and louder, dividing moderates in swing states from progressives elated by Mamdani's rocket to victory in the nation's largest city.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
Instead, the major political factions of the time — from the moderates to the communists to the Islamists to millions of everyday Iranians — put their trust in the mullahs to bring them a free Iran.
—Talla Mountjoy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Ironically, Phelps and NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell were both revealed as moderates who tried to get NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France to agree to help the teams with their requests, but were ultimately shot down.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Digital Services Act primarily moderates the content on online platforms to prioritize user safety, while the Digital Markets Act aims to prevent Big Tech companies from abusing their market dominance.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2025
Their answer is a framework that moderates collective impulses while preserving the rights of individuals and minorities.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 26 Nov. 2025
During the second panel of the Pillars of the Green Transition event on September 24, 2025, Newsweek editor Jeff Young moderates a discussion with HowGood CEO Alex Gillett, Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson, Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi and Arva CRO Phil Harris.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderates
Noun
-
Many Senate Democrats, including centrists who voted to reopen the government in November 2025, have come out against the DHS funding bill.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
-
During recent 11th-hour scrambles on the House floor, GOP leaders have had to assuage the concerns of protesting lawmakers, both centrists and hardliners, in order to move bills.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Conductance decreases exponentially as the molecule gets longer, meaning longer molecules carry less current.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These include older adults (partly because the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D decreases with age) and people with certain medical conditions such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other disorders that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb dietary fat.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Perception of risks diminishes, perhaps not entirely, but enough to misperceive the balance of challenge versus ability.—
Christopher Ferguson,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At others, the episode tails off; dialogue subsides into silence, as though by default.—
Dan Sheehan,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Lahey said normal response to intense emotional stress typically subsides quickly.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Using rolling peaks, which measure declines from the most recent market high rather than calendar periods, the S & P 500 has gone 185 days without a 10% drawdown, a stretch that, by itself, does not signal an imminent correction.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
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Calls for repeal come with leaders of Balboa Park museums and other organizations saying that declines in park visits have ranged from 20% to more than 50% and that overall annual revenue could drop by $20 million to $30 million.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Only a few are still running Commissioner Natalie Orbis, who also sponsored the measure, said the buses were sold to the public as both an environmental win and a cost-saving investment — but that promise falls apart if the buses break down far more often than their diesel counterparts.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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Rachel Perry, PhD, has spent most of her scientific life thinking about how the body moves energy around—how glucose rises and falls, how tissues compete for fuel, and how metabolism shifts during illness.—
Avi Patel,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moderates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderates. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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