middle ground
Americannoun
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an intermediate position, area, or recourse between two opposites or extremes; a halfway or neutral standpoint.
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Nautical. a length of comparatively shallow water having channels on both sides.
noun
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another term for middle distance See middle-distance
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a position of compromise between two opposing views, parties, etc
Etymology
Origin of middle ground
First recorded in 1775–85
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.
A 20-year mortgage is also a middle ground.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Always seeking the safety of middle ground, he’s too willing to bend to necessity to satisfy Coriolanus’ narrow militaristic idealism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
“Whether we find a middle ground remains to be seen.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Mixing languid conversations with pop spectacle, Lowery finds a middle ground that looks altogether human, with every impulse, bad and good, opening another door to the truth.
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026
I only know the middle ground where we live our lives.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
