moderate

[ adjective, noun mod-er-it, mod-rit; verb mod-uh-reyt ]

/ adjective, noun ˈmɒd ər ɪt, ˈmɒd rɪt; verb ˈmɒd əˌreɪt /

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adjective

kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense: a moderate price.

of medium quantity, extent, or amount: a moderate income.

mediocre or fair: moderate talent.

calm or mild, as of the weather.

of or relating to moderates, as in politics or religion.

noun

a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.

(usually initial capital letter) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.

verb (used with object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.

to reduce the excessiveness of; make less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous: to moderate the sharpness of one's words.

to preside over or at (a public forum, meeting, discussion, etc.).

verb (used without object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.

to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.

to act as moderator; preside.

Nearby words

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

SYNONYMS FOR moderate

1 reasonable, temperate, judicious, just, cool, steady, calm. 2 average.

8 meliorate, pacify, calm, mitigate, soften, mollify, temper, qualify, appease, abate, lessen, diminish.

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ANTONYMS FOR moderate

5, 6 radical.

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Related forms

mod·er·ate·ly, adverbmod·er·ate·ness, nounnon·mod·er·ate, adjective, nounnon·mod·er·ate·ly, adverb

non·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

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.

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

Examples from the Web for moderated

She will allow that over the years her initially phobic view of Germans has moderated.
Life Under Air Strikes: Children Under Fire Will Never Forget — or Forgive|Clive Irving|August 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was playing Martha Raddatz when she moderated one of the vice-presidential debates last year.
Kate McKinnon Is the Future of ‘Saturday Night Live’|Kevin Fallon|November 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The panel was moderated by Sarah Kambou, President of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).
Stanford Panel: Transforming Lives – Just Business as Usual|A Daily Beast Sponsor|October 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When your side wields the power, one can afford to demand that its use be moderated.
Israeli and Palestinian Narratives Mirror One Another, But Do Not Reflect Parity|Mira Sucharov|October 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Well, he cops to this: Schieffer kept thinking about the high stakes when he moderated his first presidential debate in 2004.
Bob Schieffer: Everyone's Blaming the Umpires|Howard Kurtz|October 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
On the seventh day the Ter Schilling found herself alone, but the weather had moderated.
The Phantom Ship|Frederick Marryat
Their "intensity" should be moderated, their frequency need not.
Woman|William J. Robinson
Then suddenly recollecting that his chief purpose was to kill time, he moderated his stramming gait to a stroll.
Flint|Maud Wilder Goodwin
Welcome, Mr. Thorpe, came from Rutley in the mild regularly moderated voice of a man content with his surroundings.
An Oregon Girl|Alfred Ernest Rice
Hereupon he moderated somewhat his voice, and said, 'Have you any defence?'
With the King at Oxford|Alfred J. Church

British Dictionary definitions for moderated

moderate

adjective (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)

not extreme or excessive; within due or reasonable limitsmoderate demands

not violent; mild or temperate

of average quality or extentmoderate success

noun (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)

a person who holds moderate views, esp in politics

verb (ˈmɒdəˌreɪt)

to become or cause to become less extreme or violent

(when intr, often foll by over) to preside over a meeting, discussion, etc

British and NZ to act as an external moderator of the overall standards and marks for (some types of educational assessment)

physics to slow down (neutrons), esp by using a moderator

(tr) to monitor (the conversations in an on-line chatroom) for bad language, inappropriate content, etc

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 (1 of 3)

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.

Word Origin and History for moderated (1 of 3)

moderate

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.

Word Origin and History for moderated (2 of 3)

moderate

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

moderate

adjective

noun

verb (used with object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.

verb (used without object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of moderate

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for moderated

British Dictionary definitions for moderated

moderate

adjective (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)

noun (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)

verb (ˈmɒdəˌreɪt)

Word Origin for moderate

Word Origin and History for moderated (1 of 3)

moderate

Word Origin and History for moderated (1 of 3)

moderate

Word Origin and History for moderated (2 of 3)

moderate