Don't go to extremes. To be moderate is important in anything.
Source: tatoeba (18860)
Moderate
/ˈmɑdəɹət/
Synonyms for "moderate" (632 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (127)
Adjective(15 words)
restrainedtemperateabstemiousanti revolutionaryaverageaverage valuebalancedbatedbenign fungus speciescalm vigorchairchilledcommon prepositionsdampendampest
abateacceptableacceptingact betweenadequateadjustadjust toadmissibleall rightallayalleviatealloyalrightalteramblingapatheticarbitratearrestassuageattemper
Show 53 more words
averagebackpedalbackwaterbalancedbanalbank the firebargainbatebetter than nothingbetwixt and betweenblandbluntboundbox inbrakebudgetcalmcautiouscentercentralcentristchairchastencheapcheckcircumscribecircumspectclaudicantclementclip the wingscommoncompassionatecomposecompromiserconditionconfineconservativeconstantconstraincontaincontrolcontrolledconventionalcoolcoordinatecopyrightcrawlingcreepingcreeping like snailcurbcushiondampdampen
Verb(18 words)
Strong matches (189)
Adjective(13 words)
danish modfacilitatefair influencegentle declinegentle persongentle slopegradual changehostmeasuredmeasured energy levelmidmiddle-of-the-road votermild
Noun(27 words)
danish stilhed tonedeescalatingdegree of cultural lossdemurerdiscipline field notebookdiscipline yourselfeasingemceesenvironmental controlfacilitate a policy workshopfacilitate group readingfair electoral processgoldilocksgovernihedgeshomeschool online communitylesseninglevel of activitylullingmeasured energy in teaching
Show 7 more words
de emphasizede-emphasizedeadendeceleratedecentdecreasedefusedelaydeliberatedetaindie downdilutediminishdirectdisciplinediscreetdownplaydraw reindraw the linedull
Show 112 more words
dwindleeaseease offease upeasyeasygoingebbeconomiceconomicaleconomyequableevenextenuatefadefairfair to middlingfairishfallfalteringfifty-fiftyflaggingfoot draggingfoot-draggingforbearantforbearingforgivingfreshfrugalgentlego betweengood enoughgoodishgradualgravehalf-and-halfhaltinghedgehedge abouthobbledhobblinghold backhold in checkhold uphumaneidleimpartialimpedeinconsequentialinconsiderableindependentindifferentindolentinexpensiveinsipidintercedeintermediaryintermediateinterposeintervenejudgejudiciouskkeep backkeep within boundslacklusterlanguidlanguorouslaodiceanlaxlaylazyleavenleisurelylenientlenifylessenlet downlet uplet up onlightlightenlimitlimpinglose groundlose momentumlose speedlowlow pricedlow-pricedlowerlulllumberingmake termsmanagemanageablemeanmeasuredmedialmedianmediatemediocremediummeerschaummeet halfwaymercifulmiddlemiddle-of-the-roadmiddle-of-the-roadermiddlingmidwaymildmild as milk
Verb(13 words)
decelerateddeescalatedeescalatesdefuseddiminish impactdiscuss in classelevate discussionemceedholdhold inleadmediatesmellows
Related words (316)
Adjective(24 words)
mild climatemild punishmentmildestmitigatemoderate impactmoderate pacemodest amountpolitical centerpresidereasonablereformist policyrestrained enthusiasmrestrained vigorsscholarly disciplineslower pacesoftensoftishtame energytastefultemper
Show 4 more words
Noun(47 words)
mildsmoder humus formmoderatesmoderatingmoderationistmoderatormodestomodulate expressionmodulated signalmost gradual political changemost moderatenerfpolicepoliticpresidingqualifying adjectivequalifying term definitionrefereesreformistreformist approach
Show 27 more words
reformist movementreformist programreformist stancereinrelentingsanskrit madhyaself controlledsize mediumslowing growthsofteningsoftening adjectivespace the assignmentsspeaking pacestabilizing influencesteadying handsubduingtamingteacher led discussiontemperate zonetemperingtempersthrottlesumpingwater down resultwater down versionwetland fragmentationwikis
Verb(32 words)
mincemitigatesmitigatingmodulatesmollifyofficiatepresidedpresidesqualifiesqualify a blanket ruleregulate behaviorregulate emotionsregulate temperatureseasonslackenedslackenssoberedsoftensoften languagesoftened
Show 12 more words
mitigatemoderantistmoderationistmoderatistmodestmodifymodulatemollifynamby pambynamby-pambynarrownegotiateneuterneutralnominalnonalignednoncommittednonpartisannonviolentnormal
Show 181 more words
not amissnot badnot half badnot so badobstructobtundof a kindof a sortof sortsofficiateokokayon the fenceordinarypacifisticpacifypalliatepaltrypassablepassivepatentpatientpeaceablepeacefulphilosophicalphlegmaticpiddlingplay downpokingpokypresentablepreside overpretty goodprudentqualifyquellrationalreasonablereducereduce the temperaturereefrefereeregisterregulateregulate byreinrein inrelaxrelaxedrelentrelievereluctantremitrepresentrespectablerestrainrestrainedrestrictretardroutinerunsatisfactorysaunteringscantseasonsedatesensibleseriousset backset conditionsset limitsshabbyshoddyshufflingslackslack offslack upslackenslightslothfulslowslow as deathslow as molassesslow as slowslow downslow upslow-crawlingslow-footslow-goingslow-leggedslow-movingslow-pacedslow-pokyslow-runningslow-sailingslow-steppedsluggishsmallsmothersnail-pacedsnaillikeso soso-sosobersober downsober-mindedsobersidedsoftsoft-shellsoftensolemnsoothesparingspecializestaggeringstaidstandardstaysteadystep instiflestintstintingstraitenstrollingsubduesubsidesufficientsupervisesuppresssweetentake in sailtake the edge offtametedioustempertemperatetendertentativethird worldthird-forcethird-worldthrottlethrottle downtidytoddlingtokentolerabletoleranttonetone downtortoiseliketotteringtreat withtriflingtrivialtrudgingtune downturtlelikeumpireuncommittedunderplayunexceptionableunexceptionalunexcessiveunexpensiveunextremeunhurriedunimpassioneduninvolvedunobjectionableusualvapidwaddlingwaneweakenwishy washywishy-washywithin meansworkmanlikeworth the money
Adverb(1 words)
most medium
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: restrained, temperate, abate, abated, abstemious.
- Sentence evidence is available for moderate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "moderate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "moderate"
Keep "moderate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "moderate" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "moderate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "moderate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
24 entriesShowing 16 of 24 words.
More specific
10 entriesCollocations
8 entriesmoderate amountmoderate climatemoderate discussionmoderate exercisemoderate pacemoderate panelmoderate riskmoderate temperature
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
6 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
16 entriesSample sentences
26 total sentences available.
The weather in Florida is generally moderate.
Source: tatoeba (21806)
Some are moderate; some are radical.
Source: tatoeba (64964)
Good health consists of proper eating and moderate exercise.
Source: tatoeba (238995)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "moderate"?
Closest matches include restrained, temperate, abate, abated, abstemious.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "moderate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.