moderate
moderate — adjective
1. not too big, too small, too hot, too expensive, or too strong — staying in a mid
not too big, too small, too hot, too expensive, or too strong — staying in a middle range that most people find normal or acceptable.
The doctor recommended moderate exercise, such as a thirty-minute walk each day.
collocation: moderate exercise / moderate speed / moderate price
Even a moderate increase in temperature can affect the plants in the garden.
Yuna paid a moderate price for the used bicycle at the weekend market.
Traffic on the highway was moderate, so Tuan reached the airport in under an hour.
The soup was served at a moderate temperature, not too hot to eat right away.
- reasonable
more about fairness and common sense than a middle position
- average
often implies a mathematical mean or typical level, but can carry a negative 'mediocre' tone
- medium
more concrete and physical; used for sizes and temperatures rather than abstract quantities
用法筆記
Common with nouns describing measurable quantities or conditions: moderate speed, moderate heat, moderate rainfall, moderate success.
常見錯誤
2. referring to a person whose stances on issues, particularly political ones, stee
referring to a person whose stances on issues, particularly political ones, steer clear of extreme positions and are widely seen as sensible.
The newspaper supports moderate candidates from both the major political parties.
domain: politics and opinion — moderate candidate / moderate stance / moderate party
Valentina's views on education reform are moderate, appealing to parents across the political spectrum.
A moderate approach to tax policy often wins support from voters in the middle.
The senator is known for his moderate position on environmental regulations.
- centrist
specifically about occupying the middle ground in politics; less common outside political contexts
- middle-of-the-road
more informal and can suggest boring or unexciting rather than sensible
用法筆記
Frequently used in political reporting and commentary. Can also describe non-political beliefs or behaviour that avoids extremes, e.g. 'moderate views on parenting'.
常見錯誤
moderate — noun
1. a person, especially in politics, who does not support extreme ideas and instead
a person, especially in politics, who does not support extreme ideas and instead favours solutions that many different people can agree on.
The new party describes itself as a coalition of moderates from both the left and the right.
countable noun referring to a person with non-extreme political views
Adisa is known as a moderate who often works with colleagues from all parties to pass laws.
During the election, both the radical and the moderate struggled to win the rural vote.
The mayor is a moderate, but her party's leadership leans much further to the left.
- centrist
more specifically describes someone in the exact political centre; 'moderate' can describe someone leaning left or right who is still not extreme
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often contrasted with 'radical', 'extremist', or 'hardliner'. Can be used with or without a modifier: 'a moderate' or 'a political moderate'.
常見錯誤
moderate — verb
1. to make something less strong, extreme, or severe, or to become weaker or calmer
to make something less strong, extreme, or severe, or to become weaker or calmer on its own — for example, reducing the speed of a car, calming a disagreement, or having a storm lose its power.
Devika moderated her tone when she realised her colleague was upset by the criticism.
transitive: moderate + tone / voice / language
The storm moderated overnight and by morning the winds had dropped considerably.
intransitive: the storm / wind / rain moderates (becomes less intense)
Christopher was asked to moderate his language during the negotiation with the clients.
Dr. Okafor advised the patient to moderate his salt intake to help lower his blood pressure.
Once the tension in the room moderated, the team was able to discuss the budget calmly.
- lessen
more general; can apply to pain, fear, or distance; no sense of personal restraint
- ease
suggests comfort or relief; often used for pain, tension, or restrictions
- tone down
phrasal verb, more informal; used for behaviour or language
- temper
suggests adding a balancing or softening element, often to a quality like criticism or enthusiasm
文法句型
moderate + noun phrase
moderate (intransitive: become less strong)
用法筆記
Both transitive ('She moderated her voice') and intransitive ('The winds moderated') uses are common. The subject of the intransitive use is typically a natural force (wind, storm, rain) or an emotional state (tension, anger).
常見錯誤
2. to check that everyone grading a set of exam answers is using the same rules and
to check that everyone grading a set of exam answers is using the same rules and standards, so that no student gets an unfair advantage or disadvantage.
Two senior teachers will moderate the history exam to ensure fair grading across all classes.
British education: moderate + an exam / the marking / the results
Élise spent the weekend moderating the A-level geography papers from different schools.
The university asks an external examiner to moderate the final-year dissertation marks each year.
Any significant difference between the two markers' scores must be moderated by a third reviewer.
- standardise
more general; can apply to any process, not just exams
文法句型
moderate + an exam / the marking
用法筆記
Chiefly British and Australian English. In the US education system, the more common term is 'norm' or 'standardise' the marking. Not used for scoring standardised computer-graded tests.
常見錯誤
3. to check comments, messages, or discussions on a website, chatroom, or social me
to check comments, messages, or discussions on a website, chatroom, or social media platform and remove any that are rude, threatening, or break the rules.
Kian moderates the gaming forum and removes any messages that contain personal attacks.
internet domain: moderate + forum / chat room / comments / discussion board
The newspaper employs a full-time team to moderate reader comments on its website.
Posts that contain spam or hate speech are moderated within minutes by the community volunteers.
Aylin was hired to moderate the live chat during the online conference about mental health.
- monitor
watching without necessarily removing content; less active than 'moderate'
文法句型
moderate + a forum / a chatroom / comments
用法筆記
Often used with 'forum', 'chatroom', 'comments section', 'group', or 'board'. Related noun: 'moderator' (the person who does the checking). The sense focuses on rule enforcement, not encouraging participation.
常見錯誤
4. to be in charge of a formal discussion, debate, or panel and make sure everyone
to be in charge of a formal discussion, debate, or panel and make sure everyone gets a turn to speak and that the event follows a set plan.
Professor Chen moderated the panel discussion on climate policy at the university conference.
formal register: moderate + a debate / a panel / a discussion / a meeting
Rafael moderated the presidential debate, keeping each candidate to the agreed time limit.
A journalist moderated the town-hall meeting between residents and the city council members.
The session was moderated by Sivan, who asked each speaker a series of prepared questions.
- chair
more common for committees and formal meetings; can imply more authority over decisions
- facilitate
less formal; focuses on making a discussion run smoothly rather than controlling it
文法句型
moderate + a debate / a meeting / a panel / a discussion
用法筆記
Different from sense 3 (ONLINE FORUM): this sense requires being physically or virtually present in the same meeting or event as the participants, not just checking content after it is posted. The noun 'moderator' refers to the person running the event.