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
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3
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
a moderate snowfall was forecast for the region
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4
as in mild
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
a city that is celebrated for its moderate climate
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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
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as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the wind began to moderate as the night wore on
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as in temperance
an avoidance of extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits
the kind of person who does everything in moderation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moderate
ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Children with moderate to severe disabilities cannot be accommodated.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Frightened moderates begged the president to dump the idea.
—Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The first band of showers will be in the morning, though those will probably be light to moderate.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
In peacetime, debates on free speech and content moderation are often contentious.
—Steven Stalinsky, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
According to the report, there was a moderate increase in the overall number of antisemitic incidents last year compared with 2024, but that total represents a huge jump from 2022, before the war in Gaza.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Children with moderate to severe disabilities cannot be accommodated.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
How the race took an unexpected turn The shape of the race shifted dramatically when two moderates — former Los Angeles school Supt.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Frightened moderates begged the president to dump the idea.
—Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
About 150 people attended the forum, co-hosted by eight community and neighborhood associations and moderated by the League of Women Voters at the former Elmhurst elementary school in Sacramento.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The first band of showers will be in the morning, though those will probably be light to moderate.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
But throughout my readings, moderation was a theme.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
In peacetime, debates on free speech and content moderation are often contentious.
—Steven Stalinsky, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
-
Creeping Phlox Also known as moss phlox, creeping phlox is a native perennial that offers profuse blooms in shades of white, pink, purple, and red as soon as early April in temperate climates.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Tour more than a dozen outdoor gardens, including an herb garden, children's garden, and rose garden; tropical and temperate plants thrive in the 17,500-square-foot conservatory.—
Ashlyn Ware,
Midwest Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line from Tuesday to Wednesday, killing an 8-year-old boy in the central Cherkasy region and a woman who was in a kiosk near a bus stop that was hit in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Zelenskyy and local officials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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This will be Powell’s last meeting with central bankers as Kevin Warsh is set to take over as Federal Reserve chair next month.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Monday's highs are only in the 50s, and frost or freeze advisories are possible by Tuesday morning with lows in the mid-30s, which is the average low in early December.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The average Social Security retirement benefit in 2026 is just $2,071 per month.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The southeast doesn’t have as many gas lines built in because winters are mild.—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Mix a mild cleaning solution using lukewarm water and a small amount of gentle soap, such as dish soap.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Israel and Hezbollah showed no signs of decreasing their attacks Friday.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The less experienced Tyler Kolek’s playing time decreased as well as the squad returned to full health.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In contrast, Ionic capitals, which are more restrained, currently grace the columns at the entrance of the White House.—
Kevin D. Murphy,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Some had pushed for a slightly more restrained proposal that would have given Democrats the upper hand in nine of the 11 House seats.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2024 — the last year for which federal data is available — the median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $144,580, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.—
Mark Osborne,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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In 1998, Bezos’ $81,400 yearly salary was more than double the median salary of $31,096 for men at the time.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s made with glycerin and amino acids and acts as a very gentle cleanser.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The pounding dembow riddims boldly crash into electro pop, rock, and trap, interspersed with gentle waves crashing and lyrics about lovers who never pulled up.—
E.R. Pulgar,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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