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moderate

[adjective, noun mod-er-it, mod-rit; verb mod-uh-reyt]
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adjective
  1. kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense: a moderate price.
  2. of medium quantity, extent, or amount: a moderate income.
  3. mediocre or fair: moderate talent.
  4. calm or mild, as of the weather.
  5. of or relating to moderates, as in politics or religion.
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noun
  1. a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.
  2. (usually initial capital letter) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.
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verb (used with object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
  1. to reduce the excessiveness of; make less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous: to moderate the sharpness of one's words.
  2. to preside over or at (a public forum, meeting, discussion, etc.).
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verb (used without object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
  1. to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.
  2. to act as moderator; preside.
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Origin of moderate

1350–1400; Middle English moderate (adj.), moderaten (v.) < Latin moderātus (past participle of moderārī to restrain, control), equivalent to moderā- verb stem (see modest) + -tus past participle suffix
Related formsmod·er·ate·ly, adverbmod·er·ate·ness, nounnon·mod·er·ate, adjective, nounnon·mod·er·ate·ly, adverbnon·mod·er·ate·ness, nounsem·i·mod·er·ate, adjectivesem·i·mod·er·ate·ly, adverbun·mod·er·at·ed, adjectiveun·mod·er·at·ing, adjective

Synonyms for moderate

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1 reasonable, temperate, judicious, just, cool, steady, calm. 2. average. 8. meliorate, pacify, calm, mitigate, soften, mollify, temper, qualify, appease, abate, lessen, diminish.

Synonym study

1. Moderate, temperate, judicious, reasonable all stress the avoidance of excess—emotional, physical, intellectual, or otherwise. Moderate implies response or behavior that is by nature not excessive: a moderate drinker, a moderate amount of assistance. Temperate, interchangeable with moderate in some general uses, usually stresses the idea of caution, control, or self-restraint: a surprisingly temperate response to the angry challenge. Judicious emphasizes prudence and the exercise of careful judgment: a judicious balance between freedom and restraint; judicious care to offend neither side. Reasonable suggests the imposition or adoption of limits derived from the application of reason or good sense: a reasonable price; a reasonable amount of damages allotted to each claimant. 8. See allay.

Antonyms for moderate

5, 6. radical.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for moderated

reduce, slow, constrain, subdue, slacken, wane, subside, lessen, mitigate, modify, alleviate, decrease, abate, diminish, curb, soften, temper, cool, decline, appease

Examples from the Web for moderated

Contemporary Examples of moderated

Historical Examples of moderated

  • After some hours of huddling I observed that the temperature had moderated.

  • When finally Dolly's outburst had moderated, the old lady spoke.

  • We might stick by Mr. de Vervillin until it moderated, and then pay our respects to him.

    The Two Admirals

    J. Fenimore Cooper

  • "We have plenty of time," Philip said, as he moderated the pace at which they had started.

  • She has taught our revolutionary spirits and moderated our party passions.

British Dictionary definitions for moderated

moderate

adjective (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)
  1. not extreme or excessive; within due or reasonable limitsmoderate demands
  2. not violent; mild or temperate
  3. of average quality or extentmoderate success
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noun (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)
  1. a person who holds moderate views, esp in politics
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verb (ˈmɒdəˌreɪt)
  1. to become or cause to become less extreme or violent
  2. (when intr, often foll by over) to preside over a meeting, discussion, etc
  3. British and NZ to act as an external moderator of the overall standards and marks for (some types of educational assessment)
  4. physics to slow down (neutrons), esp by using a moderator
  5. (tr) to monitor (the conversations in an on-line chatroom) for bad language, inappropriate content, etc
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Derived Formsmoderately, adverbmoderateness, nounmoderatism, noun

Word Origin for moderate

C14: from Latin moderātus observing moderation, from moderārī to restrain
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

Word Origin and History for moderated

moderate

adj.

late 14c., originally of weather and other physical conditions, from Latin moderatus "within bounds, observing moderation;" figuratively "modest, restrained," past participle of moderari "to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure," related to modus "measure," from PIE *med-es-, from base *med- (see medical (adj.)). The notion is "keeping within due measure." In English, of persons from early 15c.; of opinions from 1640s; of prices from 1904. Related: Moderateness.

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moderate

v.

early 15c., "to abate excessiveness;" from Latin moderatus, past participle of moderari (see moderate (adj.)). Meaning "to preside over a debate" is first attested 1570s. Related: Moderated; moderating.

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moderate

n.

"one who holds moderate opinions on controversial subjects," 1794, from moderate (adj.). Related: Moderatism; -moderantism.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper