middle-of-the-road

[ mid-l-uh v-th uh-rohd ]

/ ˈmɪd l əv ðəˈroʊd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR middle-of-the-road ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

favoring, following, or characterized by an intermediate position between two extremes, especially in politics; moderate.

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.

noun

Also called easy listening. popular music having comparatively conventional, melodic qualities and hence having broad commercial appeal.

Nearby words

middle-born, middle-class, middle-distance, middle-income, middle-level, middle-of-the-road, middle-sized, middleborough, middlebreaker, middlebrow, middleburg heights

Origin of middle-of-the-road

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Related formsmid·dle-of-the-road·er, nounmid·dle-of-the-road·ism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for middle-of-the-road

It was just something he felt he had to say to have credibility with middle-of-the-road voters.
The GOP’s 20-Year War on Health Care|Michael Tomasky|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My two favorite tracks on the LP are the only two that successfully avoid this middle-of-the-road approach.
Robin Thicke’s ‘Paula’ Is What You Shouldn’t Do When You Get Dumped|Andrew Romano|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Middle-of-the-road voters just stopped buying right-wing fear-mongering.
Why Republican Efforts to Block Obama Won’t Work This Time|Michael Tomasky|December 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The idea of peace based on a two-state arrangement has become a boring, middle-of-the-road stance in Israel.
This Headline is About Very Important Quiet|Gershom Gorenberg|August 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Present day chemists would acquiesce in this statement after reading Mitchill's "middle-of-the-road" arguments.
Priestley in America|Edgar F. Smith
Fusion controlled the convention, voting down the "Middle-of-the-Road" group that adhered to independence.
The New Nation|Frederic L. Paxson
For in 1912 Wilson had been in effect the middle-of-the-road candidate, the conservative liberal.
Woodrow Wilson's Administration and Achievements|Frank B. Lord and James William Bryan

British Dictionary definitions for middle-of-the-road