as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
several centrist candidates were elected, apparently in a reaction against the extremists
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as in reformer
a person who holds moderate views
the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely
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Examples of centrist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
Golden is one of the few remaining Democrats who won a district that was pulled by former President Donald Trump in 2020, casting himself as a centrist.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Sep. 2024
In the days leading up to the announcement of Kamala Harris’ VP pick, progressives argued that the sitting veep needed to choose a running mate who would excite the Democrats’ more liberal voters, rather than chasing centrists.
—Nico Lang, Them, 6 Aug. 2024
What is the evidence, for that matter, that undecided voters are all centrists who need to be constantly flattered?
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for centrist 
Noun
Nixon, who had not yet revealed his crookedness and paranoia to the nation, was able to run as a levelheaded centrist; Trump is running more or less openly as a vengeful maniac.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
Golden is one of the few remaining Democrats who won a district that was pulled by former President Donald Trump in 2020, casting himself as a centrist.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Sep. 2024
In the days leading up to the announcement of Kamala Harris’ VP pick, progressives argued that the sitting veep needed to choose a running mate who would excite the Democrats’ more liberal voters, rather than chasing centrists.
—Nico Lang, Them, 6 Aug. 2024
What is the evidence, for that matter, that undecided voters are all centrists who need to be constantly flattered?
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for centrist
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'centrist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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