centrist

noun

cen·​trist ˈsen-trist 

1

often capitalized : a member of a center party

2

: a person who holds moderate views

centrism

ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm 

noun

centrist adjective

Synonyms

• middle-of-the-roader
• moderate

Examples of centrist in a Sentence

The candidate hopes to appeal to centrists nationwide.

the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely

Recent Examples on the Web

And by picking Fortas rather than a centrist or someone not already sitting on the Court, Johnson unwittingly gave the Warren Court’s enemies a prime target. —Michael Bobelian, TIME, 7 Oct. 2024

Several studies—including a 2024 report in PLOS ONE that quizzed the AI systems Vance mentioned and 22 others—have found that most large language models reply to political questions with centrist or moderately left-leaning answers, not radical views. —Ben Guarino, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2024

But neither can call themselves a centrist, so what are less partisan diehards to do? —Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 4 Sep. 2024

Advertisement Some analysts believe that Ishiba was chosen as much for his image as a centrist who can counter challenges by the more liberal main opposition party as for his policy views. —Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1