Advertisement

View synonyms for moderate

moderate

[ adjective noun mod-er-it, mod-rit; verb mod-uh-reyt ]

adjective

  1. kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense:

    a moderate price.

    Synonyms: calm, steady, cool, just, judicious, temperate, reasonable

  2. of medium quantity, extent, or amount:

    a moderate income.

    Synonyms: average

  3. mediocre or fair:

    moderate talent.

  4. calm or mild, as of the weather.
  5. of or relating to moderates, as in politics or religion.

    Antonyms: radical



noun

  1. a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.

    Antonyms: radical

  2. (usually initial capital letter) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.

verb (used with object)

, mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
  1. to reduce the excessiveness of; make less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous:

    to moderate the sharpness of one's words.

    Synonyms: diminish, lessen, abate, appease, qualify, temper, mollify, soften, mitigate, calm, pacify, ameliorate

  2. to preside over or at (a public forum, meeting, discussion, etc.).

verb (used without object)

, mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
  1. to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.
  2. to act as moderator; preside.

moderate

adjective

  1. not extreme or excessive; within due or reasonable limits

    moderate demands

  2. not violent; mild or temperate
  3. of average quality or extent

    moderate success

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a person who holds moderate views, esp in politics
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to become or cause to become less extreme or violent
  2. whenintr, often foll by over to preside over a meeting, discussion, etc
  3. to act as an external moderator of the overall standards and marks for (some types of educational assessment)
  4. physics to slow down (neutrons), esp by using a moderator
  5. tr to monitor (the conversations in an on-line chatroom) for bad language, inappropriate content, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈmoderately, adverb
  • ˈmoderateness, noun
  • ˈmoderatism, noun
Discover More

Other Words From

  • moder·ate·ly adverb
  • moder·ate·ness noun
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of moderate1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English moderate (adjective) moderaten (verb), from Latin moderātus (past participle of moderārī “to mitigate, restrain, control”), equivalent to moderā- verb stem ( modest ) + -tus past participle suffix
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of moderate1

C14: from Latin moderātus observing moderation, from moderārī to restrain
Discover More

Synonym Study

Moderate, temperate, judicious, reasonable all stress the avoidance of excess—emotional, physical, intellectual, or otherwise. Moderate implies response or behavior that is by nature not excessive: a moderate drinker, a moderate amount of assistance. Temperate, interchangeable with moderate in some general uses, usually stresses the idea of caution, control, or self-restraint: a surprisingly temperate response to the angry challenge. Judicious emphasizes prudence and the exercise of careful judgment: a judicious balance between freedom and restraint; judicious care to offend neither side. Reasonable suggests the imposition or adoption of limits derived from the application of reason or good sense: a reasonable price; a reasonable amount of damages allotted to each claimant. See allay.
Discover More

Example Sentences

But, four months after its founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris for Telegram's alleged failure to moderate extreme content, the platform has announced a U-turn.

From BBC

There is no reason to believe that any of them will moderate once they assume the mantle of responsibility.

From Salon

Last year, in upholding Tennessee’s law, the 6th Circuit Court in Cincinnati took a moderate tone of deferring to state lawmakers who are grappling with “new and potentially irreversible medical treatments for minors.”

It wasn’t always this way, of course — Republicans were once moderate stewards of the environment, with presidents like Richard Nixon passing progressive environmental laws.

From Salon

The study looks at heat waves over the past 65 years, identifying areas where extreme heat is accelerating considerably faster than more moderate temperatures.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement