middling

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dling ˈmid-liŋ How to pronounce middling (audio)
-lən
1
: of middle, medium, or moderate size, degree, or quality
2
3
: of, relating to, or being a middle class
middling adverb
middlingly adverb

middling

2 of 2

noun

1
: any of various commodities of intermediate size, quality, or position
2
middlings plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a granular product of grain milling
especially : a wheat milling by-product used in animal feeds

Examples of middling in a Sentence

Adjective tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
His ruminations on the nature of reality are those of a bright high-schooler or a middling stoner. Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024 Popular on Variety As for adult viewers, they may be engrossed during the sporadic stretches of middling suspense, and impressed by the striking cinematography of Idan Menin, which greatly enhances the movie’s overall impact. Joe Leydon, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
Inevitably, many middling and smaller powers will straddle divides and seek to balance their ties to greater powers. Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Affairs, 3 Aug. 2022 Somewhere middling in the postmatch emotional spectrum was Victor Marks-Jenkins (157). Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for middling 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of middling was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near middling

Cite this Entry

“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middling. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

middling

1 of 2 adjective
mid·​dling ˈmid-liŋ How to pronounce middling (audio)
-lən
: of medium size, degree, or quality
middling adverb

middling

2 of 2 noun
1
: any of various products of medium quality or size
2
plural : a product produced by milling grain
especially : a product of wheat milling that is used in animal feeds

More from Merriam-Webster on middling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!