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
Derived 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.
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
“We have a large number of middle-of-the-road people who are out there looking for someone to sing their song,” Perlaky said.
From Salon • Aug. 27, 2025
“We need to be that middle-of-the-road, trustworthy source. ... I think that’s our goal. The only way you can survive is not be an echo chamber of one side.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2024
People still bought CDs in supermarkets and Woolworths, and the majority of those CDs were dreary, middle-of-the-road efforts by acts like Katie Melua, Il Divo and Keane.
From BBC • Oct. 31, 2024
As the nomination of Bryan for President was practically a foregone conclusion, the "middle-of-the-road" element concentrated its energies on preventing the nomination of Arthur Sewall of Maine, the choice of the Democracy, for Vice-President.
From The Agrarian Crusade; a chronicle of the farmer in politics by Buck, Solon J. (Solon Justus)
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.
