middle ground

American  

noun

1. an intermediate position, area, or recourse between two opposites or extremes; a halfway or neutral standpoint.

2. middle distance.

3. Nautical. a length of comparatively shallow water having channels on both sides.

---

middle ground British  

noun

1. another term for middle distance See middle-distance

2. a position of compromise between two opposing views, parties, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of middle ground

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Unless both sides can make a giant leap into an unexplored middle ground of compromise, it is hard to see a deal being made.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Terahertz light has long been considered promising for imaging because it occupies a useful middle ground.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

Miami falls into an awkward middle ground that the blue bloods often avoid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

But there is that middle ground — the people who don’t have time for politics.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

It was a middle ground, giving without opening the wound.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel