WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
mod•er•ate•ly /ˈmɑdərɪtli, ˈmɑdrɪtli/USA pronunciation adv.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- fairly;
somewhat:moderately happy with his new car.
mod•er•ate /adj., n. ˈmɑdərɪt, ˈmɑdrɪt; v. -əˌreɪt/USA pronunciation
adj., n., v., -at•ed, -at•ing.
adj.
n. [countable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026adj.
- keeping within reasonable or proper limits:moderate prices.
- of medium quantity, extent, or amount:a moderate income.
- mediocre or fair:moderate talent.
- Governmentof or relating to moderates, as in politics:the moderate wing of the party.
n. [countable]
- Governmentone who is moderate in opinion or who is opposed to extreme views, as in politics.
v.
- to be at the head of or preside over (a public forum, etc.): [~ + object]He moderated the last town meeting.[no object]He's good at moderating: he keeps things moving.
- to (cause to) become less violent or extreme: [~ + object]moderated her criticism of the plan.[no object]The storm moderated.
mod•er•ate
(adj., n. mod′ər it, mod′rit;v. mod′ə rāt′),USA pronunciation adj., n., v., -at•ed, -at•ing.
adj.
n.
v.t.
v.i.
mod′er•ate•ly, adv.
mod′er•ate•ness, n.
adj.
- 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.
- Meteorologycalm or mild, as of the weather.
- Governmentof or pertaining to moderates, as in politics or religion.
n.
- Governmenta person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, esp. in politics or religion.
- Government(usually cap.) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.
v.t.
- 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.).
v.i.
- to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.
- to act as moderator;
preside.
- Latin moderātus (past participle of moderārī to restrain, control), equivalent. to moderā- verb, verbal stem (see modest) + -tus past participle suffix
- Middle English moderate (adjective, adjectival), moderaten (verb, verbal) 1350–1400
mod′er•ate•ness, n.
- 1. reasonable, temperate, judicious, just, cool, steady, calm. 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. 2. average. 8. meliorate, pacify, calm, mitigate, soften, mollify, temper, qualify, appease, abate, lessen, diminish. See allay.
- 5. 6. radical.
'moderately' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
andante
- chilly
- Colombard
- cool
- fair
- fairish
- fairly
- lukewarm
- mezzo
- mf
- middling
- mp
- possibility
- pretty
- subacid
- warm
- well-off
- well-to-do
- acidulous
- allegretto
- American foxhound
- carbaryl
- chill
- coffee-colored
- cowboy boot
- cruise
- curly-coated retriever
- damn
- defensive
- fresh
- gavotte
- giant schnauzer
- grylloblattid
- ländler
- lizard
- mazurka
- meanly
- medium bomber
- mesorrhine
- mezzo forte
- mezzo piano
- middlebrow
- mid-rise
- moderation
- moist
- monoammonium phosphate
- passably
- passepied
- portrait lens
- posada