Home US English moderate

Definition of moderate in English:

moderate

Pronunciation /ˈmäd(ə)rət/ /ˈmɑd(ə)rət/ /ˈmädəˌrāt/ /ˈmɑdəˌreɪt/

See synonyms for moderate

Translate moderate into Spanish

adjective

  • 1Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.

    ‘we walked at a moderate pace’
    • ‘Some of these second-wave acts achieved a moderate degree of success and most were assured at least of a long career on the standup circuit.’
    • ‘They basically got away with what they could at the time (which wasn't much) and found a moderate amount of success.’
    • ‘The fourth is that they exercise not a bit but a lot - ie they have about 60-90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day.’
    • ‘Current research suggests that 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity almost everyday is enough to improve health.’
    • ‘The marginal zone cells were medium-sized and contained a moderate amount of cytoplasm.’
    • ‘A moderate climate produces an average winter temperature of 50 degrees, while the summer average is 82.4 degrees.’
    • ‘On a moderate level of intensity, such feelings would amount to what is usually categorized as cheerfulness.’
    • ‘Although it prefers no frost, it will tolerate a moderate amount of it.’
    • ‘Time how many jumps you can perform at a moderate pace in 30 seconds.’
    • ‘But, you know, it is healthy to get moderate amounts of sunlight.’
    • ‘I expected a moderate amount, but it's quite scary.’
    • ‘Drivers caught breaking the speed limit by moderate amounts would get two, instead of three, points on their licence under the Road Safety Bill being debated by MPs.’
    • ‘Let it be said, however, that I'm all in favour of those things that keep us looking and feeling our youthful best, including moderate amounts of plastic surgery.’
    • ‘Some of the vices he recommended to the elderly include the use - in moderate amounts - of alcohol, tobacco and bromides to relieve insomnia.’
    • ‘Health experts suggest a diet rich in green vegetables full of antioxidants, beans which contain healthy fats and a moderate amount of wine.’
    • ‘Research by the Department of Transport suggests that talking on a mobile while driving affects a driver in a similar way to drinking a moderate amount of alcohol.’
    • ‘The trail, just off the leeward highway, is not difficult, though there are a few steep areas requiring a moderate degree of fitness.’
    • ‘Though the calorific value of fructose was the same as that of sucrose or glucose, it was preferable to consume it only in moderate amounts.’
    • ‘It really doesn't matter what type of exercise, if it is done at moderate intensity for as long as possible, and is built up gradually.’
    • ‘You know, when we're giggling with the moderate amount of English that she knows.’
    average, modest, medium, middling, ordinary, common, commonplace, everyday, workaday
    reasonable, within reason, acceptable, non-excessive, within due limits
    restrained, controlled, temperate, sober, steady, regular, not given to excesses
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1(of a person, party, or policy) not radical or excessively right- or left-wing.
      ‘a moderate reform program’
      • ‘Australia has a new and rising political party with moderate policies which is headed by a black woman.’
      • ‘Throughout the process, those loyal to its moderate policies fought for the survival of their party.’
      • ‘Its front bench has a younger profile, and with its policies not very far from those of the current government, it will find little ideological problems with the moderate policies now favoured by Labour.’
      • ‘He was the target of years of bitter denunciation, even revulsion, from the left over his moderate policies, but subsequent events demonstrated he was right and they were wrong.’
      • ‘He turned Labour into a moderate party which accepted Thatcher's economic settlement but combined it with state-sponsored policies of social cohesion.’
      • ‘Will the press buy the notion of putting out these more moderate faces in the spotlight means that it's a more moderate party?’
      • ‘They had to put forward a moderate policy platform that nevertheless differed them from the Liberals.’
      • ‘The aim was always to hollow out the more moderate party and supplant it.’
      • ‘A new moderate party comes onto the political scene.’
      • ‘Once upon a time, this was a very moderate party.’
      • ‘His moderate policies, his personal charm, and his touch at expressing popular opinion were all heightened by the weakness of the leadership of his Conservative rivals.’
      • ‘The new moderate policy reckoned without the ambitions of the poorest peasants and the zeal of local Party cadres.’
      • ‘Any extremist attempts at violence would overwhelmingly consolidate support for a moderate policy.’
      • ‘In general, however, the tone of the party was moderate.’
      • ‘The Democrats will never succeed as either a liberal party or a moderate party.’
      • ‘In one 12-hour period, assassination attempts were mounted on as many as five politicians from a moderate party.’
      • ‘In other words, people voted for the extremist parties because the moderate parties were too extremist.’
      • ‘What factors explain these moderate policies toward ethnic minorities?’
      • ‘He, along with other pragmatists, feared that it could split his party into moderate and radical factions and undermine its ability to govern.’
      • ‘That's key, that's what a lot of moderate lawmakers in both parties want to hear.’
      dispassionate, non-extreme, middle-of-the-road, non-radical, non-reactionary, open to reason, equitable, impartial
      View synonyms

noun

  • A person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.

    ‘an unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates’
    • ‘Given the nature of the Greens and their issues, they typically demonstrate the best potential for harvesting votes in the districts already held by liberal Democrats or conscientious moderates.’
    • ‘Liberals and moderates in the Democratic Party have a lot to learn from each other.’
    • ‘Now five conservatives square off against two moderates and three Democrats.’
    • ‘If Democrats and Republican moderates can stand against full repeal, they also need to stand against a bad compromise.’
    • ‘The problem with abandoning the bridge-building moderates is that the Democrats really don't represent half of the nation - or at least, not the voting nation.’
    • ‘He works with Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and moderates and liberals, to do what he thinks is best for the country.’
    • ‘Politically he was different both from the moderates, who believed in constitutional methods, and from extremists or terrorists, who were willing to resort to violence.’
    • ‘The Risorgimento was made into Italy's founding myth, its narrative carefully doctored to hide the bitter rifts that had in reality separated the moderates and the democrats.’
    • ‘He needs to appeal to moderates and conservatives.’
    • ‘Republicans have used the culture wars to divide liberals and moderates for decades, and we need issues of our own that divide conservatives and moderates.’
    • ‘The rest of the time Democrats have governed only by appealing to moderates as well as liberals.’
    • ‘Conservatives, moderates, and progressives who value democracy - and we need all of them - need to embed their partisanship into this long, long-term effort.’
    • ‘You few, final remaining Democrats, moderates, greens and libertarians really need to get onboard the bandwagon.’
    • ‘The administration could strike an agreement with Democrats and with moderates certainly, in a Republican party, if they would revisit taxes as part of a physical discipline program.’
    • ‘It is no coincidence that Fascists are more likely to transform into Marxists than to political moderates, or the other way around.’
    • ‘And they've got to start listening to their moderates and working with Democrats in a bipartisan way to get things done for the American people.’
    • ‘No wonder there are so few moderates left in American politics.’
    • ‘These salient aspects made the plan irreconcilable with the views of the moderates.’
    • ‘He's energizing his opponents and driving away moderates in droves because he is a right wing ideologue who refuses to make even the slightest concession to achieve consensus.’

verb

  • 1Make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.

    with object ‘I shall not moderate my criticism’
    • ‘the weather has moderated considerably’
    • ‘his moderating influence in the army was now needed more than ever’
    • ‘Most notably, the Pueblo Indians in the Southwest used adobe masonry to moderate weather extremes and keep their homes comfortable.’
    • ‘Our strategy was to use thermal mass to moderate temperature extremes.’
    • ‘Since Anchorage is located at the end of a long inlet, the yearly temperatures, moderated by the influence of ocean currents, are considerably milder than in the interior of Alaska.’
    • ‘Although we are lucky and have some clouds today to moderate the intense desert heat, we shelter in the shade of the lorry for several hours before continuing.’
    • ‘These form a thermal mass that moderates the extremes in temperature fluctuations.’
    • ‘Certainly, he said, prices had moderated considerably and the units now coming on stream were at affordable levels.’
    • ‘The climate is continental although the Black Sea influence helps to moderate winter temperatures in Dobrudja by the coast.’
    • ‘Mr. Speaker Sir, the rates of excise duty have now been considerably moderated.’
    • ‘Original walls over 2m thick and deeply recessed small windows moderate internal temperatures.’
    • ‘Since those long lost days my beer intake has, shall we say, moderated.’
    • ‘In 1991, American foreign policy was moderated by the shadow of a previous over-reaction in Vietnam.’
    • ‘Thankfully, however, that won't ever happen, because we have the Gulf Stream to moderate the weather in the UK, so that our winters don't get too cold and our summers don't get too hot.’
    • ‘The policy was moderated after 1977 to allow some private investment, and largely abandoned after 1987.’
    • ‘Inside, such wood was used for louvered window coverings, which helped to control incoming sunlight and to moderate ambient temperature.’
    • ‘Forests play a key role in moderating the climate, regulating water systems, preventing erosion, alleviating air pollution, and providing wildlife habitat.’
    • ‘However, it would be an enormous mistake to believe that the anti-social attacks have been thwarted and a new government will adapt to the voters' verdict by moderating its policies.’
    • ‘It seems that she is moderating her tone, at least a hair.’
    • ‘As soon as the weather moderated, the four men at Cape Evans climbed the cliffs behind their camp and scanned the sea for any signs of the ship.’
    • ‘The flavors are moderated, the heat lessened, the ingredients changed.’
    • ‘The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled.’
    die down, abate, let up, calm down, lessen, grow less, decrease, diminish, slacken
    curb, control, check, keep in check, keep under control, hold in, temper, regulate, restrain, restrict, subdue
    View synonyms

  • 2with object (in academic and ecclesiastical contexts) preside over (a deliberative body) or at (a debate)

    ‘a panel moderated by a Harvard University law professor’
    • ‘I received many similar responses after I moderated the vice presidential debates in 2004.’
    • ‘Now for our next week's e-mail question of the week - if you were moderating the presidential debates, what would you like to ask each candidate?’
    • ‘Because you write in the book, about the time I moderated the South Carolina debate with your son, and how you could not watch.’
    • ‘I moderated the debate in South Carolina that night.’
    • ‘You know, you remember, because you moderated a debate that we had during the primaries…’
    • ‘Meanwhile, he has offered to come to Minneapolis on Saturday to moderate a debate.’
    • ‘I don't see moderating a debate as a journalism function in a pure way.’
    • ‘In any case, it is clear from his comments when moderating the debate that he picked up many compromise views at his seminary.’
    • ‘This makes moderating a debate almost as complicated as doing your taxes or buying a house.’
    • ‘You moderated a debate with these candidates.’
    • ‘On one hand, the debates are moderated and hosted by private persons and organizations, and they also choose the questions to be asked.’
    • ‘Not surprisingly, a lively discussion, moderated by the president, ensued.’
    • ‘Four days before the primary there, I moderated a debate with the Republican White House hopefuls.’
    • ‘Further, the leader moderates debates that may occur, sets the pace for discussion, and provides space for all class members to contribute.’
    • ‘As most of you know, I am often found at comic conventions moderating panels and interviewing the great and near-great.’
    • ‘Plus this time I have the added excitement of moderating my first panel.’
    • ‘My only commitment for the weekend is moderating a panel on microcontent on Tuesday.’
    • ‘Apart from the fact that they think I moderated four panels there, it's a good report.’
    • ‘I was invited to moderate a panel on best-rate guarantees and the role of such guarantees.’
    • ‘After a half-hour or so, I had to go off and moderate a panel so I excused myself.’
    chair, take the chair of, preside over
    View synonyms
    1. 2.1no object Preside; act as a moderator.
      ‘it is the Presbytery that moderates’
      • ‘He tried to moderate, but seemed a bit distracted, quoting interviews more than asking questions.’
      • ‘The position of interviewer is the one with the authority to moderate, the emcee of the event.’

  • 3with object Monitor (an internet forum or online discussion) for inappropriate or offensive content.

    ‘In addition, the association's executive director moderated an Internet chatroom for children.’
    • ‘To moderate a newsgroup you have to get involved several times a day, or it becomes too impractical to have conversations.’
    • ‘All they are doing is forcing users to go elsewhere, potentially to non moderated chat rooms with little or no protection.’
    • ‘However the follow up messages show that the audio specialist has failed to properly moderate the contents of messages going onto the list, unthinkingly forwarding everything it receives.’
    • ‘Finally, the chair offered to let me return to posting on the condition that he could moderate the ‘content’ of my posts, not their frequency.’
    • ‘Chat rooms can be harmless fun when moderated - monitored by a responsible adult.’
    • ‘Plus the internet rule ‘don't feed the trolls’ applies as much as on blogs as usenets, so we moderate the comments and have good systems for dealing with that rapidly.’
    • ‘The government could say it wanted all chatrooms to be moderated, but it doesn't govern the entire world.’
    • ‘The membership also supported the Institute's hosting of a website chat room, but members were pretty evenly divided as to whether it should be moderated.’
    • ‘The exception to this rule would be moderated newsgroups, but they're a relatively small part of Usenet as a whole.’
    • ‘For example, you can write a bit about yourself or your Weblog or indicate that comments are to be moderated by default.’
    • ‘Chat rooms available to under 18s will also be moderated to prevent misuse by paedophiles.’
    • ‘All of these sites were moderated, from a minimum of removing offensive language to more draconian exclusion of party political comment, though moderation does not imply monitoring for content.’
    • ‘We do not have the time or resources to constantly monitor or moderate the comments sections, and so may be unaware of illegal or potentially libellous material posted there.’
    • ‘Alas, while such moderated discussions filter out the crazies, they add expense.’
    • ‘Police also raided the houses of 30 volunteers who helped moderate the site.’

  • 4Physics
    with object Retard (neutrons) with a moderator.

    ‘the neutrons causing fission are not moderated but react at high energies’
    • ‘Dysprosium alloys are also used in control rods used to moderate the flow of neutrons through a nuclear reactor.’
    • ‘The detection of hydrogen is based both on the intensity of gamma rays emitted by hydrogen, and by the intensity of neutrons that are moderated by hydrogen.’
    • ‘It is then extracted from the ring and smashed into a mercury target to produce neutron beams that can be moderated and guided into designated experimental stations.’
    • ‘Certainly, counterions might moderate the electrostatic interactions.’
    • ‘Some researchers have also suggested changes to Einstein's general theory of relativity, such as a new long-range force that moderates the strength of gravity.’

Origin

Late Middle English from Latin moderat- ‘reduced, controlled’, from the verb moderare; related to modest.