middle-of-the-road
Americanadjective
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favoring, following, or characterized by an intermediate position between two extremes, especially in politics; moderate.
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of, relating to, or describing a type of popular music that avoids extremes of style and is catchy and tuneful enough to have broad appeal. MOR
noun
adjective
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not extreme, esp in political views; moderate
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of, denoting, or relating to popular music having a wide general appeal
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of middle-of-the-road
An Americanism dating back to 1890–95
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.
Aiming for middle-of-the-road returns could still be a compelling strategy if the midcaps produced superior risk-adjusted performance.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
"The surprise of Michael is how well it plays, and what an engrossing middle-of-the-road biopic it is," he said, praising its performances and cinematography.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
That middle-of-the-road phrasing is a result of the rising perils of wading into hot-button issues in recent years.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
So, its end is easy to celebrate as a triumph of reason and of middle-of-the-road politics.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2025
This "middle-of-the-road" group included some Western leaders of prominence, such as Peffer and Donnelly, but its main support came from the Southern delegates.
From The Agrarian Crusade; a chronicle of the farmer in politics by Solon J. (Solon Justus) Buck
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
