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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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
Karen Brooks Harper, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
On the other side of the continuum are people who are considered to have a clinical alcohol use disorder, which can be mild, moderate or severe.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Ayumi Teraoka, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2025
The holidays provide Johnson with a brief window to try to persuade moderates to abandon the effort.
—Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Works & Process executive director Duke Dang will moderate a discussion about the work.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moderate
Adjective
Still, going for moderate, default Republicans who haven’t broken with Abbott yet may pay off because new Democratic voters aren’t pouring into Texas, said Democratic strategist Matt Angle.
—Noun
The Lee administration has therefore appointed moderates to key diplomatic posts, such as national security adviser, and Lee can further empower them while pushing back against more hard-line forces by demonstrating the tangible benefits of cooperation with Tokyo.
—Verb
Layoffs remain exceptionally low and inflation has moderated.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
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The good thing is, most plants native to temperate parts of the globe evolved ways to deal with the annual seasonal cycle.—
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Heating the indoor air in winter means the air will retain more moisture (it won't be dispersed to help humidify plants or your sinuses), but lowering the thermostat to a temperate 68 degrees F can help increase relative humidity in your home, and this can help your houseplants stay vibrant.—
Adjective
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The west slopes of the central Appalachians could pick up several inches Monday.—
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Behind him, Liverpool need to be wary of Foden, who is beginning to again look like the player who was central to City’s 2023-24 title win.—
Adjective
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Olathe’s trajectory mirrors what’s happening across Johnson County — which saw more than 90% of the homes go up in value in 2024, with the average home prices sitting at $508,000 and average sale price at $557,000.—
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In fact, a 2023 study found that child prodigies tend to earn more and have more career success than the average person.—
Adjective
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The blast was set off on a concrete surface to replicate an urban environment, with air temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius, typical of mild weather conditions.—
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In fact, David Landsberg, the President & CEO at Goodwill Industries of South Florida, says that most decorative home goods made of glass, metal, or ceramic can easily be cleaned with a simple combination of mild dish soap and warm water.—
Noun
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In the House, four centrist Republicans broke with GOP leadership and joined forces with Democrats to force a vote that could come as soon as January on a three-year extension of the tax credits.—
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In the House, four centrist Republicans broke with GOP leadership and joined forces with Democrats to force a vote that could come as soon as January on a three-year extension of the tax credits.—
Verb
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Newsom claims homelessness decline Newsom during his final State of the State address Thursday claimed the state’s homeless population decreased last year.—
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Meanwhile, the number of job openings have decreased nearly 10% on the year to 729,000 in the September to November period from a year ago, the ONS found.—
Adjective
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Flanagan stars as Betty, a proud but emotionally restrained mother struggling with her daughter’s return, while Crowley plays Áine’s father Seamus.—
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The year 2025 saw high levels of deadly violence around the world, as conflicts grew less restrained, with civilians increasingly victims of attacks by governments and non-state actors alike, according to monitoring data.—
Adjective
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The median salary is $75,190, and the top 10% of earners get $121,200.—
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For students who graduated this year with an MD degree from a four-year medical school in the United States, the median cost of attendance was $318,825, according to Kristen Earle, director of student financial services at the Association of American Medical Colleges.—
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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