middle-of-the-road

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

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.

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. 2018

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

Contemporary Examples

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
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
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
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

Historical Examples

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
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

British Dictionary definitions for middle-of-the-road

middle-of-the-road

adjective

not extreme, esp in political views; moderate
of, denoting, or relating to popular music having a wide general appeal

Derived Formsmiddle-of-the-roader, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

middle-of-the-road

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}middle-of-the-road

Related Words

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

Contemporary Examples

It was just something he felt he had to say to have credibility with middle-of-the-road voters.

My two favorite tracks on the LP are the only two that successfully avoid this middle-of-the-road approach.

Middle-of-the-road voters just stopped buying right-wing fear-mongering.

The idea of peace based on a two-state arrangement has become a boring, middle-of-the-road stance in Israel.

Historical Examples

For in 1912 Wilson had been in effect the middle-of-the-road candidate, the conservative liberal.

Present day chemists would acquiesce in this statement after reading Mitchill's "middle-of-the-road" arguments.

Fusion controlled the convention, voting down the "Middle-of-the-Road" group that adhered to independence.

middle-of-the-road

Origin of middle-of-the-road