neutral

adjective

Definition of neutralnext
1
as in independent
not favoring or joined to either side in a quarrel, contest, or war Sweden remained neutral during World War II, refusing to join either side in the conflict

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
lacking in distinctive features or qualities the hero is the novel's only fully fleshed person, all the others being rather neutral characters who are just there to advance the plot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of neutral Dish soap is safe for tile floors, but generally, a pH neutral floor cleaner will do a better job and not require any rinsing. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 For those of us living with progressive diseases, time is not neutral. — Kat Bryant Knudson, STAT, 31 July 2026 Broccoli will thrive better in slightly acidic to neutral soil. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 31 July 2026 JPMorgan upgrades Sprouts Farmers Market to overweight from neutral The bank sees a sales growth inflection. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for neutral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neutral
  1. independent
  2. boring
  3. autonomous
  4. beige
  5. impartial
  6. noncommittal
  7. nonpartisan
  8. featureless
Adjective
  • OpenAI backs a national AI safety standard, with independent audits and incident reporting for frontier models.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Some depend on Iran more than others, Ahmadi said, adding that currently Yemen’s Houthi rebels are likely the most independent.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, the group offered amazingly little of that over the course of the night, minimizing the bells and whistles during what could be properly dubbed a fairly boring stage show overall.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In valuing and nurturing a sense of life as the adventure of understanding and demonstrating Love’s allness, what might have previously seemed to be a boring gap in activity becomes a spiritually refreshing pause.
    — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Recent incidents expose critical security risks with autonomous AI agents, which act unsupervised using credentials and tools.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The system also avoided hazardous conditions while controlling the spacecraft’s orientation, showing how autonomous software could reduce dependence on ground commands during military and scientific missions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • Meghan wore a custom beige dress by Givenchy with a black belt, a black purse and matching heels.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Khaki is a light beige hue with subtle yellow or green undertones.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of beige
Adjective
  • Educational exchange succeeds when institutions are viewed as impartial facilitators of knowledge rather than instruments of influence.
    — Ekramy El Zaghat, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, recognition matters, but true, impartial inclusion matters even more.
    — Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
Definition of impartial
Adjective
  • Or will Dundon, who has been noncommittal about staying, move the team?
    — Esfandiar Baraheni, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been noncommittal on the House package that also divides his own GOP majority, with some Republican senators preferring more money for the military and others demanding the costs be offset with cuts elsewhere.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of noncommittal
Adjective
  • City races are nonpartisan and candidates carry no party affiliation.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Recent history suggests that the only effective counter to such meddling is a public statement alerting voters to the deception, by some credibly neutral, nonpartisan authority.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonpartisan
Adjective
  • The largely featureless landscape is crucial because NASA technicians know exactly how much reflected light satellites’ optical instruments should see in the area.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026
  • For more than a century, Anna Horan’s gravesite was one of the thousands marked by squat, featureless headstones arranged in uneven rows along the hillside in New Haven’s Blake Street Cemetery.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Definition of featureless

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neuters
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neutralism
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Cite this Entry

“Neutral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neutral. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on neutral

Nglish: Translation of neutral for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about neutral

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