Synonyms of moderates

moderates 1 of 2

noun

plural of moderate

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

• centrists
• middle-of-the-roaders
• progressives
• reformers
• compromisers
• accommodationists

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• radicals
• extremists
• conservatives
• revolutionaries
• revolutionists
• liberals
• rightists
• reactionaries
• leftists
• ultraists
• right-wingers
• left-wingers

moderates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of moderate

as in decreases

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

the wind began to moderate as the night wore on

Synonyms & Similar Words

• decreases
• diminishes
• subsides
• declines
• falls
• shrinks
• vanishes
• eases
• ebbs
• dies (away or down or out)
• wanes
• tapers
• drops (off)
• tapers off
• dwindles
• falls away
• drains (away)
• lessens
• weakens
• palls
• lowers
• recedes
• relents
• evaporates
• de-escalates
• remits
• ratchets (down)
• abates
• phases down
• rachets (down)
• lets up
• tails (off)
• slows (down)
• collapses
• melts (away)
• fades (away)
• alleviates
• compresses
• peters (out)
• contracts
• constricts
• slackens
• condenses
• relaxes
• gives out
• fritters (away)
• flags
• caves (in)
• deflates
• sinks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increases
• rises
• grows
• intensifies
• builds
• swells
• mushrooms
• escalates
• accumulates
• expands
• appears
• waxes
• mounts
• soars
• picks up
• emerges
• enlarges
• snowballs
• shows up
• balloons
• burgeons
• lengthens
• blows up
• elongates
• distends

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of moderates

Noun

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

But while anti-immigrant, pro-Russian parties have made inroads across the continent in recent years, there have also been notable reversals, and some have softened their views to build coalitions with moderates. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Whatever moderates were left in the Iranian system have been marginalized and rendered impotent. — Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026

Democratic leadership’s demand for party discipline collided this week with promises that the caucus has enough room for socialists and moderates, a harbinger of trouble next year if Democrats win the majority. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026

Cruz appeared on Fox News and later shared the clip on X, arguing that moderates have long told conservatives to support the Republican nominee after losing a primary. — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Jeffries, a cautious Brooklynite poised to become speaker, must juggle fiery progressives, restive moderates and backlash over a Jared Kushner meeting while preaching Pelosi-style discipline and teamwork. — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Some allege that the government has engineered fuel shortages to make an agreement unavoidable, others go further, accusing moderates of staging a coup. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

At the same time, warnings about Iran’s economy from Pezeshkian and the regime’s other relative moderates have been mounting. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026

Verb

In Kelowna, wine begins with the water—grapes can’t grow this far north without the lake, which moderates the valley’s climate year-round. — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026

So the strategic release temporarily moderates price increases. — Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026

There’s a lot of science behind this practice, but to put it simply, baking in a water bath regulates and moderates the temperature of the baked good, encouraging an even bake. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026

The former is processed slowly and moderates blood sugar. — ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026

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