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
Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025
Transgender school sports: House Republicans, with help from two moderate Democrats from Texas, approved a bill Tuesday that would restrict the rights of transgender Americans, specifically transgender student athletes who seek to compete in girls’ sports.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
The election of 1976 was one of a number of times that a Democratic candidate has emerged with just the right balance of rhetoric and policy promises, uniting just enough white Southern progressives and white moderates in a successful coalition with Black and other minority voters.
—Richard Fausset, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Peter Green, Quartz, 12 Jan. 2025
The conversation will be moderated by San Jose State President Cynthia Teniente-Matson, who is also the leader of a pretty big Bay Area sports operation in the Spartans.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for moderate 
Adjective
Additional dietary strategies in preventing kidney stones include limiting sodium intake, eating moderate amounts of protein, and avoiding vitamin C supplements.
—Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025
Transgender school sports: House Republicans, with help from two moderate Democrats from Texas, approved a bill Tuesday that would restrict the rights of transgender Americans, specifically transgender student athletes who seek to compete in girls’ sports.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
The vote reflects the complexities of navigating such a small majority for the GOP, as leadership aims to placate the party's most conservative members as well as moderates representing competitive districts.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
The election of 1976 was one of a number of times that a Democratic candidate has emerged with just the right balance of rhetoric and policy promises, uniting just enough white Southern progressives and white moderates in a successful coalition with Black and other minority voters.
—Richard Fausset, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
This week, Mark Zuckerberg blamed Congress and the media for his decision to stop fact-checking and moderating racist, hateful, fake, and inciting posts on Facebook and other Meta platforms.
—Peter Green, Quartz, 12 Jan. 2025
The conversation will be moderated by San Jose State President Cynthia Teniente-Matson, who is also the leader of a pretty big Bay Area sports operation in the Spartans.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for moderate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moderate
Adjective
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This colder-than-average spell is notable given Washington's relatively temperate winters in recent years.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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These are characterized by temperate deciduous forest species such as tulip trees, oaks, and hickories.—
Erica Zazo,
Outside Online,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In Deir al Balah, a city in central Gaza, cars honked their horns and loud music blared from coffee shops.—
Christina Goldbaum,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
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This dignity and destiny were central to Garvey’s message, which called for the global empowerment of African descendants.—
Melissa Noel,
Essence,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Temperatures in South Lake Tahoe will be below average, with the high likely staying below freezing and lows dropping to the teens to low 20s, according to the forecast.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacramento Bee,
22 Jan. 2025
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The recent 30-day drop in average price could mean now is one of the better times to secure a home in the area.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Holcomb is not bound by these recommendations and can impose a harsher or milder punishment.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
24 Jan. 2025
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Even if this weekend’s storms, which are predicted to be mild, bring an inch of rain, January would be the fifth driest since record keeping began in 1896, Anderson said.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But to hear Biden, who ran for the Presidency not as a democratic socialist or a social democrat but as a centrist in the party, speak out against the gathering signs of oligarchy has meaning.—
David Remnick,
The New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2025
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Read: The collapse of the Khamenei doctrine Iran’s centrists are less interested than the reformists in democratization, and more focused on fostering economic development and good governance.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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These tremendous reductions have been linked to fewer respiratory illnesses, decreased hospital visits, and ultimately, lives saved and reducing climate impacts.—
Margo T. Oge,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Range within the city is only around 120 miles (193 km) while cruising around on the freeway will decrease that number further to 71 miles (114 km).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In this case, the Mechanical Watch Box goes for restrained elegance.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
22 Jan. 2025
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But four years later, after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 had driven the president's approval rating to record highs and fueled a win in the popular vote as well as the Electoral College, the atmosphere was more restrained.—
Ron Elving,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, prices on homes that did sell have been very high, as more sales at the high end of the market nudged median prices higher.—
Laurel Wamsley,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2025
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The median price for homes soared to a record $407,500.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near moderate
Cite this Entry
“Moderate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moderate. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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