middle ground

American  

noun

1. an intermediate position, area, or recourse between two opposites or extremes; a halfway or neutral standpoint.

2. middle distance.

3. Nautical. a length of comparatively shallow water having channels on both sides.

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middle ground British  

noun

1. another term for middle distance See middle-distance

2. a position of compromise between two opposing views, parties, etc

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Etymology

Origin of middle ground

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

But it’s much harder to be a realist—to look at America’s biggest strategic competitor and seek a stable middle ground.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

From what you say, there is little room for middle ground between excommunication and open lines of communication.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

This plea for the middle ground between praise and criticism is not something that England's coaching staff have invented to mitigate post-defeat criticism.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

But there is that middle ground — the people who don’t have time for politics.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Whatever middle ground was left between the two sides was melting away, and more than anywhere else, Berlin symbolized this widening gulf.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau