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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of moderate
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2025
External buffers in Mexico are strong and debt-to-GDP ratio is moderate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
Doing so would remove the progressive patina that may motivate the liberal base but repel moderates and independents.
—Matt Klink, Orange County Register, 19 Feb. 2025
New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
Temperatures across much of the East will be considerably colder than normal on Sunday, but should moderate back to normal Monday-Tuesday.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
Known for her more moderate politics, Slotkin has not hesitated in the past to critique her party's messaging when necessary.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2025
External buffers in Mexico are strong and debt-to-GDP ratio is moderate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
Senators raced ahead of the House as the lower chamber debated how to keep everyone from fiscal conservatives in the Freedom Caucus to moderates from swing districts happy.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
Doing so would remove the progressive patina that may motivate the liberal base but repel moderates and independents.
—Matt Klink, Orange County Register, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
Four patients experienced severe adverse events; all the other episodes were mild to moderate in severity, including one mild hypoglycemic event that the researchers determined was not caused by HTD1801.
—New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
Temperatures across much of the East will be considerably colder than normal on Sunday, but should moderate back to normal Monday-Tuesday.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
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The 2025 edition is being held in a temperate climate in the middle of the European season, where many of the best players are based.—
Phil Hay,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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But Bella Hadid has returned from the (marginally) more temperate Texas with a sartorial plan of action.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While most filmmakers don’t explicitly acknowledge the disparity in privilege between the subjects and themselves, Shah makes this conversation central to his film.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
8 Mar. 2025
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Every detail aligned with the central motif of the rose—even the bag handles were accented with thorns.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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That basic annuity is calculated using years of service and the highest average pay during three consecutive years of service, so even employees who are eligible for the program could end up with a lower-than-expected benefit if they are pushed out.—
Jesse Pound,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
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The results of the annual poverty tracker, which estimated the average family needs to make $50,000 just to afford basic necessities, immediately sparked backlash as New Yorkers are squeezed by inflation.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The 80 million vibrant ranunculus are blooming early this year because of the mild winter, and April will be the peak, the Union-Tribune reports.—
Kate Murphy,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
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But disease symptoms are generally milder in vaccinated people.—
Kristina Behr,
Parents,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The pushback from centrists is a change of pace, as hard-line conservatives and budget hawks in the House Freedom Caucus are typically the thorns in Johnson’s side.—
Rachel Schilke,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
25 Feb. 2025
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Some recent polls indicate that the governing centrist and center-left parties could suffer major defeats, with the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) expected to finish first and second.—
TIME,
TIME,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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New York Open Data showed that certain types of delays, such as those related to braking issues, rail and roadbed problems and service delivery, decreased on the A line from September to December.—
Nic F. Anderson,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The commissioner’s restrained view of the FTC’s mission was inconsistent with Roosevelt’s policy agenda, which was the reason the president gave for dismissing him.—
Jacob Sullum,
Orange County Register,
24 Feb. 2025
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Though the Franco-American relationship had cooled by then, Trump and Macron shook hands in a somewhat restrained manner. 2024: The Shake Seen Around The World Last December, Trump, Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Paris ahead of the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The median nightly price per person for a vacation rental in Avila Beach is $124, according to HomeToGo.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacramento Bee,
1 Mar. 2025
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In 2023, the median price for a New York City slice was $3.24, according to journalist Liam Quigley.—
Mark Dent,
thehustle.co,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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