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
Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 June 2026
While Connecticut is now under moderate drought conditions, experts warn that a rare El Niño year could prolong dry conditions later into the year, increasing chances for wildfires, crop loss and water conservation.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
Adam Eichen, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
However, a recent April poll from Texas Public Opinion Research has the governor's race within five points, 48% to 43%, with Hinojosa scoring high among independents, moderates, Black voters, Latino voters and young voters.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
The conversation was moderated by TIME senior health correspondent Alice Park.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 28 May 2026
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
The category’s success increasingly depends on more than sobriety messaging alone and instead on whether brands can create authentic experiences around moderation, inclusion, and social connection.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
For adults to keep the heart in top shape, the AHA recommends a minimum of 150 minutes (that’s two and a half hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 June 2026
While Connecticut is now under moderate drought conditions, experts warn that a rare El Niño year could prolong dry conditions later into the year, increasing chances for wildfires, crop loss and water conservation.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
Noun
Our results suggest that a growing number of them – especially moderates, African Americans and young people – are experiencing voter’s remorse.
—Adam Eichen, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
However, a recent April poll from Texas Public Opinion Research has the governor's race within five points, 48% to 43%, with Hinojosa scoring high among independents, moderates, Black voters, Latino voters and young voters.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Verb
The conversations will be moderated by an affiliated coalition of universities and think tanks — like American Public Trust, Berggruen Institute and Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
The conversation was moderated by TIME senior health correspondent Alice Park.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 28 May 2026
Noun
But consumed in moderation, seltzer is really nothing to worry about.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
The category’s success increasingly depends on more than sobriety messaging alone and instead on whether brands can create authentic experiences around moderation, inclusion, and social connection.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
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The evolutionary solution, for most temperate insects, is to use the light signal as the primary trigger and treat temperature as a secondary modifier.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Kelp fringes nearly a third of the planet’s coastlines and is an iconic feature of temperate waters, from California and Chile to Norway, Japan, and Australia.—
Tatjana Baleta,
Time,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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For Ginsberg, ever-attuned to the rhythmic physicality of verse, the central atom of poetry wasn’t the line or the foot, but rather the breath, emphasizing that his were longer than his free verse hero Whitman because the good, grey poet probably had smaller lungs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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According to the sign on the set before the curtain rises, the population of Jerome, an actual former copper-mining town in central Arizona, has evaporated, giving it ghost status.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Robert Reich of the University of California, Berkeley, wrote recently that average Americans pay a 14% tax rate, but billionaires pay less than 2%.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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The Marshalls, who now own an architectural firm called Back Forty Buildings that services hundreds of families across the country with barndominium or rural home plans, estimate that the average person makes about 40,000 decisions in planning and building a home.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Hemmers said that mild allergy symptoms can be treated with over the counter drugs, but more severe cases that disrupt quality of life or day-to-day living, should be treated by a professional allergist.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
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Experts recommend oral rehydration fluids rather than sports drinks to replace important nutrients and minerals lost to vomiting and diarrhea — although drinks like Gatorade may help with mild dehydration.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The centrist San José mayor hasn’t spent enough time in his current job to prove himself to voters beyond the San Francisco Peninsula.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
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The unrest presents the biggest challenge yet for Paz, a business-friendly centrist who came to power six months ago as a wave of conservative electoral wins swept the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Miami’s decreasing rents fit into a larger trend in South Florida.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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The most recent Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index survey out of UCLA shows perception of public safety losing ground even as property crime has decreased modestly over the same period.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Moral judgments like these became part of the school curriculum in the late 19th century, as the temperance movement gained momentum toward its goal of total abstinence.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
3 May 2026
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The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Flowering woody shrubs that bloom on new wood tolerate or thrive on fairly aggressive pruning, while those that bloom on old wood require more careful, restrained pruning.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
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Even out of context, the first meeting at the train station of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is ineffably moving, a model of restrained desire.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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