moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmä-də-ˌrā-tər 

plural moderators

1

: someone who presides over an assembly, meeting, or discussion: such as

a

: the chairman of a discussion group

b

: a person who administers an online forum, chat room, or group

c

: the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting

d

: the presiding officer of a Presbyterian governing body

2

: one who arbitrates : mediator

3

: a substance (such as graphite) used for slowing neutrons in a nuclear reactor

moderatorship

ˈmä-də-ˌrā-tər-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms

• chair
• chairman
• chairperson
• president
• presider
• prolocutor
• speaker

Examples of moderator in a Sentence

The moderator allowed audience members to ask the governor questions.

She acts as the moderator in our office meetings.

Recent Examples on the Web

More users mean more potential for trouble, so Bluesky was forced to boost its content-moderation team, which expanded to roughly 100 moderators and growing, Bluesky said in a moderation report released Friday. —Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 19 Jan. 2025

Two people identified as moderators of the site were arrested in July, but authorities did not detail their exact role. —Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025

According to The Intercept, which also obtained the materials, the document provides a summary of the new rules and uses examples to show moderators how to apply them. —James Factora, Them, 10 Jan. 2025

Others know him as a moderator of one of the presidential debates between President Joe Biden and the former and now incoming president Donald Trump. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

1

: one that moderates: as

a

: the leader of a Presbyterian governing body

b

: the chairperson of a town meeting

c

: the chairperson of a discussion group (as on television)

2

: a substance (as graphite) used for slowing down neutrons in a nuclear reactor

Medical Definition

moderator

noun

mod·​er·​a·​tor ˈmäd-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

: a substance (as graphite, deuterium in heavy water, or beryllium) used for slowing down neutrons in a nuclear reactor