First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1moderate
adjective mod·er·ate \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\
: average in size or amount : neither too much nor too little
: neither very good nor very bad
: not expensive : not too high in price
Full Definition of MODERATE
1
2
a : tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension b : having average or less than average quality : mediocre
3
: professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme
4
: limited in scope or effect
5
: not expensive : reasonable or low in price
6
of a color : of medium lightness and medium chroma
— mod·er·ate·ly adverb
— mod·er·ate·ness noun
See moderate defined for English-language learners
See moderate defined for kids
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Origin of MODERATE
Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past participle of moderare to moderate; akin to Latin modus measure
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- temperate
- Antonyms
- immoderate, intemperate
2moderate
verb mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-ˌrāt\
: to make (something) less harsh, strong, or severe or to become less harsh, strong, or severe
: to guide a discussion or direct a meeting that involves a group of people
mod·er·at·edmod·er·at·ing
Full Definition of MODERATE
transitive verb
1
: to lessen the intensity or extremeness of <the sun moderated the chill>
2
: to preside over or act as chairman of
intransitive verb
1
: to act as a moderator
2
: to become less violent, severe, or intense <the wind began to moderate>
— mod·er·a·tion \ˌmä-də-ˈrā-shən\ noun
See moderate defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of MODERATE
15th century
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, decrease, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Rhymes with MODERATE
abdicate, abnegate, abrogate, acclimate, acerbate, acetate, activate, actuate, acylate, adsorbate, advocate, adulate, adumbrate, aggravate, aggregate, agitate, allocate, altercate, ambulate, amputate, animate, annotate, annulate, antedate, antiquate, apartheid, apostate, approbate, arbitrate, arcuate, arrogate, aspirate, auscultate, automate, aviate, bantamweight, Bering Strait, bifurcate, billingsgate, bipinnate, boilerplate, bombinate, brachiate, buffer state, cabinmate, cachinnate, calculate, calibrate, caliphate, candidate, cannulate, cantillate, capitate, captivate, carbonate, carbon-date, carinate, carload rate, castigate, catenate, cavitate, celebrate, cerebrate, chlorinate, circinate, circulate, city-state, client state, cogitate, colligate, collimate, collocate, commentate, commutate, compensate, complicate, concentrate, condensate, confiscate, conglobate, conjugate, consecrate, constellate, consternate, constipate, consummate, contemplate, copperplate, copulate, coronate, correlate, corrugate, coruscate, counterweight, crepitate, criminate, cruciate, cucullate, culminate, cultivate, cumulate, cuneate, cupulate, cuspidate, cyclamate, Davis Strait, deaerate, decimate, decollate, decorate, decussate, defalcate, defecate, deflagrate, dehydrate, delegate, demarcate, demonstrate, denigrate, Denmark Strait, depilate, deviate, deprecate, depredate, derivate, derogate, desecrate, desiccate, designate, desolate, desquamate, detonate, devastate, deviate, digitate, diplomate, discarnate, dislocate, dissertate, dissipate, distillate, divagate, dominate, double date, edentate, educate, elevate, elongate, eluate, emanate, emigrate, emirate, emulate, enervate, ephorate, escalate, estimate, estivate, excavate, exchange rate, exculpate, execrate, expiate, explicate, expurgate, exsiccate, extirpate, extricate, exudate, fabricate, fascinate, fashion plate, featherweight, fecundate, federate, fenestrate, festinate, fibrillate, first estate, flagellate, flocculate, fluctuate, fluoridate, foliate, formulate, fornicate, fourth estate, fractionate, fragmentate, fulminate, fumigate, fustigate, geminate, generate, germinate, glaciate, Golden Gate, graduate, granulate, gratulate, gravitate, heavyweight, hebetate, herniate, hesitate, hibernate, Hudson Strait, hundredweight, hyphenate, ideate, imamate, imbricate, imitate, immigrate, immolate, impetrate, implicate, imprecate, impregnate, incarnate, increate, incubate, inculcate, inculpate, incurvate, indagate, indicate, indurate, infiltrate, in-line skate, in-migrate, innervate, innovate, insensate, inspissate, instigate, insulate, interstate, intestate, intimate, intonate, intraplate, inundate, invocate, iodate, irrigate, irritate, isolate, iterate, jubilate, juniorate, lacerate, laminate, Latinate, laureate, legislate, levigate, levitate, liberate, license plate, liquidate, litigate, littermate, lubricate, macerate, machinate, magistrate, marginate, margravate, marinate, masticate, masturbate, maturate, mediate, medicate, meditate, meliorate, menstruate, microstate, micturate, middleweight, militate, mithridate, mitigate, modulate, motivate, multistate, mutilate, nation-state, nauseate, navigate, neonate, nictitate, niobate, nominate, numerate, obfuscate, objurgate, obligate, obovate, obviate, on a plate, operate, opiate, orchestrate, ordinate, oscillate, osculate, out-migrate, out-of-date, overstate, overweight, ovulate, paginate, palliate, palpitate, paperweight, patinate, peculate, penetrate, pennyweight, percolate, perennate, perforate, permeate, perpetrate, personate, police state, pollinate, populate, postulate, potentate, predicate, procreate, profligate, promulgate, propagate, prorogate, pullulate, pulmonate, punctuate, quantitate, rabbinate, radiate, real estate, recreate, re-create, reinstate, relegate, relocate, remonstrate, renovate, replicate, reprobate, resonate, retardate, retranslate, roller-skate, roseate, rubricate, ruinate, ruminate, runagate, running mate, rusticate, sagittate, salivate, sanitate, satiate, saturate, scintillate, second-rate, segregate, self-portrait, separate, sequestrate, seriate, sibilate, silver plate, simulate, sinuate, situate, speculate, spoliate, stablemate, starting gate, steady state, stimulate, stipulate, strangulate, stridulate, stylobate, subjugate, sublimate, subrogate, subulate, suffocate, sultanate, Sunda Strait, supplicate, surrogate, syncopate, syndicate, tablemate, tabulate, target date, terminate, tessellate, tête-à-tête, thirty-eight, titillate, titivate, tolerate, transmigrate, transudate, tribulate, tribunate, trifurcate, trilobate, tripinnate, triplicate, tunicate, turbinate, ulcerate, ululate, umbellate, uncinate, underrate, understate, underweight, undulate, ungulate, urinate, vaccinate, vacillate, validate, valuate, variate, vegetate, venerate, ventilate, vertebrate, vicarate, vindicate, violate, vitiate, water gate, Watergate, welfare state, welterweight
3moderate
noun mod·er·ate \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\
: a person whose political ideas are not extreme : a person who has moderate opinions or is a member of a moderate political group
Full Definition of MODERATE
: one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group favoring a moderate course or program
See moderate defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of MODERATE
1794
Related to MODERATE
- Synonyms
- middle-of-the-roader, centrist
- Antonyms
- extremist, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultraist
MODERATE Defined for Kids
1moderate
adjective mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-rət\
Definition of MODERATE for Kids
1
: neither too much nor too little <moderate heat>
2
: neither very good nor very bad <moderate success>
3
: not expensive : reasonable <moderate rates>
4
: not extreme or excessive <a moderate point of view> <a moderate eater>
— mod·er·ate·ly adverb
2moderate
verb mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-ˌrāt\
mod·er·at·edmod·er·at·ing
Definition of MODERATE for Kids
: to make or become less extreme or severe
Learn More About MODERATE
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