intermediary

American  

[in-ter-mee-dee-er-ee] / ˌɪn tərˈmi diˌɛr i /

noun

• intermediaries
  plural

1. an intermediate agent or agency; a go-between or mediator.

   Synonyms:

   umpire, arbitrator

2. a medium or means.

3. an intermediate form or stage.

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adjective

1. being between; intermediate.

2. acting between persons, parties, etc.; serving as an intermediate agent or agency.

   an intermediary power.

intermediary British  

/ ˌɪntəˈmiːdɪərɪ /

noun

1. a person who acts as a mediator or agent between parties

2. something that acts as a medium or means

3. an intermediate state or period

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adjective

1. acting as an intermediary

2. situated, acting, or coming between; intermediate

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• intermediaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of intermediary

1785–95; < Late Latin intermedi ( um ) intervening place + -ary; see intermediate ¹

Explanation

An intermediary is someone who acts as a go-between or a mediator between two other people. Be careful when you're the intermediary between two friends who are fighting, because they might both end up mad at you! The word intermediary comes from the Latin intermedius, which is also the root word for intermediate. Inter- means between, and medius means the middle — intermediary retains that sense of being in the middle. Intermediaries are used to negotiate between two countries who are at odds, between a company and a client over a contract, between two bickering children, or between a boss and an employee in salary negotiations.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

intermediary intermediaries

Sources with knowledge of the arrangement confirmed this was the case, and described to us how Hassan receives money from the US authorities through an intermediary, making it harder to trace.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

In other cases, he said, Navatek’s lobbyists would relay a request from an intermediary for a specific dollar amount.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

“The next morning, Regan, through an intermediary, offered the same ‘deal.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

The department is now “moving faster and more aggressively than ever to identify, disrupt, and penalize any institution or intermediary that continues to enable business with the Iranian regime.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

He or she should be in another room entirely, answering questions by e-mail or through the use of an intermediary.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

The talks are expected to focus on "messages exchanged with the United States through intermediaries... particularly regarding the conditions set by Iran for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz".

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

Binance has said transactions between “Entity A” and its clients passed through intermediaries before reaching the network.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Israel has been providing Saudi Arabia with intelligence to help thwart further attacks, using American military intermediaries, according to Israeli media reports.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

It is not uncommon for Berta to lean on intermediaries to conduct negotiations, although the approach has had varying degrees of success.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

The man fed them, whittled toys for the little girl, and, through a line of intermediaries, contacted the railroad.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Related Words

• broker
• emissary
• go-between
• mediator
• negotiator