mediated
Americanadjective
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(of disputes, strikes, etc.) settled or resolved with the help of an intermediary.
In the 15 years in which he has served as a mediator, he has settled over 90% of his mediated disputes.
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(of an agreement, truce, settlement, etc.) brought about with the help of an intermediary between parties.
A mediated divorce is much cheaper than negotiating through lawyers or going to court.
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indirectly experienced, effected, or conveyed; happening by means of or through someone or something else.
I see technology as any mediated form of communication, rather than face-to-face communication.
verb
Other Word Forms
- unmediated adjective
Etymology
Origin of mediated
Explanation
When you argue with your friend and your disagreement is mediated, that means a neutral person has stepped in to help the two of you negotiate or come to an agreement. Two kids fighting on a playground might need their dispute to be mediated by a calm grownup. Unfortunately, many of the fights that need to be mediated are between leaders of countries or feuding groups of fully grown adults. The Latin root of mediated is medius, or "middle," which makes a lot of sense when you imagine a referee standing in the middle of two angry soccer teams.
Vocabulary lists containing mediated
medi, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Tehran on Friday rejected mediated efforts to negotiate an end to the war, saying U.S. demands are unacceptable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
“Young children learn best really through these socially mediated experiences and by involving the senses.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
Indirect talks between the US and Iran in Geneva in February, mediated by Oman, were making progress on the nuclear file.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
Diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Iran, mediated by Oman, eased fears of a Middle East oil supply shock.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
There’s hardly an activity, a belief, or even an emotion that is not mediated by objects of our own devising.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.