mediate

American  

[mee-dee-ayt, mee-dee-it] / ˈmi diˌeɪt, ˈmi di ɪt /

verb (used with object)

• mediates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mediated,
  past participle,  past
• mediating
  present participle

1. to settle (disputes, strikes, etc.) as an intermediary between parties; reconcile.

   Synonyms:

   arbitrate

2. to bring about (an agreement, accord, truce, peace, etc.) as an intermediary between parties by compromise, reconciliation, removal of misunderstanding, etc.

   Synonyms:

   arbitrate

3. to effect (a result) or convey (a message, gift, etc.) by or as if by an intermediary.

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verb (used without object)

• mediates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mediated,
  past participle,  past
• mediating
  present participle

1. to act between parties to effect an agreement, compromise, reconciliation, etc.

   Synonyms:

   intervene, intercede

2. to occupy an intermediate place or position.

adjective

1. acting through, dependent on, or involving an intermediate agency; not direct or immediate.

mediate British  

verb

1. (intr; usually foll by between or in) to intervene (between parties or in a dispute) in order to bring about agreement

2. to bring about (an agreement)

3. to bring about (an agreement) between parties in a dispute

4. to resolve (differences) by mediation

5. (intr) to be in a middle or intermediate position

6. (tr) to serve as a medium for causing (a result) or transferring (objects, information, etc)

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adjective

1. occurring as a result of or dependent upon mediation

2. a rare word for intermediate

3. logic (of an inference) having more than one premise, esp, being syllogistic in form

mediate Scientific  

/ mē′dē-āt′ /

1. To effect or convey a force between subatomic particles. The gauge bosons, for example, mediate the four fundamental forces of nature.

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Usage

What does mediate mean? Mediate means to help to settle a dispute or create agreement when there is conflict between two or more people or groups by acting as an intermediary or go-between for those parties. A person who acts as an intermediary or go-between in this way can be called a mediator. The act or process of mediating is called mediation. Mediation always involves a mediator acting as an impartial third party to guide the communication between the conflicting parties. Sometimes, mediation happens in an informal way. You might help two friends by mediating their argument. But the word is perhaps most commonly used in more specific ways in formal situations, such as when a mediator mediates a labor dispute between a company and its striking employees or when a mediator mediates a divorce for two spouses. When mediation occurs in an official or legal context, such as when it has been ordered by a judge, it is often called arbitration. Arbitration usually involves a decision that the parties are bound by. Mediation is typically less formal and usually involves suggestions for settling differences, as opposed to binding decisions. Example: I know you two have your differences, so I’d like to mediate a meeting to see if you can come to an understanding.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mediateness
  noun
• mediator
  noun
• mediative
  adjective
• self-mediating
  adjective
• unmediating
  adjective
• mediately
  adverb
• mediatorially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• mediating
  present
• mediated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mediate
  simple
• mediates
  simple
• have mediated
  perfect
• has mediated
  perfect
• am mediating
  progressive
• are mediating
  progressive
• is mediating
  progressive
• have been mediating
  perfect progressive
• has been mediating
  perfect progressive

Past

• mediated
  simple
• had mediated
  perfect
• was mediating
  progressive
• were mediating
  progressive
• had been mediating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mediate
  simple
• will have mediated
  perfect
• will be mediating
  progressive
• will have been mediating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of mediate

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin mediātus, past participle of mediāre “to be in the middle, intercede”; see medium, -ate ¹

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Explanation

If your two best friends aren't speaking to each other, you might find yourself trying to mediate a peace accord between them. To mediate is to go from one to another and try to make peace. Mediate derives from the Latin medius "middle," and people who mediate are in the middle, between the parties. Other things that are in the middle can be said to mediate as well. Your mind can mediate between your two conflicting personalities.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mediate mediates mediated mediating

Zelensky thanked them for restarting efforts to mediate an end to the war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

She said that "you can't mediate with someone who asks you to go into a meeting with preconditions".

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The Gryffindor and Slytherin maintain a traditional rivalry, the Ravenclaw nerds out about magical history and the Hufflepuff attempts to mediate them all.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

That result provided additional evidence that the receptor helps mediate at least some of coffee's biological effects.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

After our parents refused to intervene—“Your car, your solution,” they said—I asked Auntie Buzz to mediate.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Beijing works closely with regional actors such as Egypt, which mediates between Israel and Palestinian groups, Liu added.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

The Geneva-based body that mediates trade disputes Friday said its Trade Barometer fell to 101.7 in June from 102.3 in January.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

One way to escape this game of chicken is when a third party mediates, offering both sides an off-ramp.

From BBC ● May 1, 2025

Another important concept that emerges is that of a “resource bargain,” which mediates how the different parts relate to each other.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2025

The practical ego mediates between the theoretical and the absolute ego.

From History of Modern Philosophy From Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Richard Falckenberg

Diplomatic efforts mediated by the United States to end the war more than four years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine have so far yielded no results.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026

No breakthrough has been reported from the meeting mediated by Qatar and involving Iran's foreign minister and US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff - the first since a June ceasefire unravelled.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

“There’s a great energy that comes from being in a room with people. I think it’s a different energy than anything else, particularly true and truer every day in the increasingly screen-based and mediated world.”

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

During the fourth decade of warming, they observed that stable portions of soil organic matter, once believed to resist warming mediated decomposition, also began to break down.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

There was a lodge director, a kindly man who had a room within the building, and who mediated the infrequent disputes among the boys.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry

Kuwait recently signed a new defense pact with Pakistan, which has played a mediating role in seeking to halt the U.S.-Iran conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

But officials in mediating countries said they were incensed by Tehran’s rejection of the Oman plan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Pakistan, which has been mediating a resolution to the Middle East war, condemned the drone attacks, saying they "pose a grave threat to peace and stability" in the Middle East.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Trump told the US news outlet Axios that mediating countries had asked him to hold fire to give diplomacy a chance, adding: "We are in very deep talks with Iran."

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Right after the war, the Jews’ Haganah mediating body stepped up the longtime negotiations with the British.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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Related Words

• arbitrate
• intercede
• interfere
• intervene
• negotiate
• resolve

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