mediated
Americanadjective
-
(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.
-
(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.
-
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
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
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
We’re seeing the first celebrity wedding that’s mediated almost entirely through misinformation.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Divorce rings can also be a way of marking a kind of financial liberation, says Kate Daly, co-founder of Amicable, a UK company offering mediated divorce services.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Muscat served as the back channel for talks between the United States and Iran in the lead-up to the 2015 nuclear deal and mediated several rounds of talks during Trump's second term.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
He mediated between demigods, listened to all sides of an argument, found compromises.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
![]()
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.