moderator

moderator — 名詞

1. a person who guides discussions between people or groups who disagree, helping t

1.名詞B2
釋義

調解人

協助對立方達成協議的人

a person who guides discussions between people or groups who disagree, helping them find a solution that everyone can accept.

例句

Ari acted as moderator when the two sides could not agree on the contract terms.

雙方無法就合約條款達成協議時，Ari 擔任調解人。

act as moderator — common verb collocation

The company hired a professional moderator to handle the conflict between unhappy workers.

公司聘請了一位專業調解人來處理不滿員工之間的衝突。

professional moderator — adjective + noun pattern

同義詞
  • mediator

    more neutral term; focuses on bringing parties together rather than guiding discussion

  • arbitrator

    stronger role; can make binding decisions, unlike a moderator who only facilitates

  • facilitator

    broader term; helps a group work together but not necessarily between opposing sides

  • conciliator

    emphasises restoring goodwill and relationships between angry parties

反義詞
  • agitator

    someone who stirs up conflict rather than resolving it

文法句型

moderator + of + [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal or professional contexts such as labour disputes, business negotiations, or family mediation. The moderator stays neutral and does not favour either side. Distinguish from sense 2 (CHAIR A DEBATE), where the focus is on procedure rather than reaching agreement.

常見錯誤

❌The moderator took sides in the argument.
✅A good moderator stays neutral and does not take sides.
💡Moderators help people reach agreement without favouring either party.
❌The moderator decided who won the debate.
✅The moderator kept the discussion on track so both sides could be heard.
💡A moderator facilitates; a judge decides the winner.

2. a person who controls a formal discussion or debate, ensuring that participants

2.名詞B2
釋義

主持人

掌控正式討論或辯論流程的人

a person who controls a formal discussion or debate, ensuring that participants follow the rules and that the event stays on schedule.

例句

The moderator called on each candidate to speak for exactly two minutes.

主持人請每一位候選人發言，時間恰好兩分鐘。

moderator + call on [someone] to [do something]

Nellie volunteered to be the moderator for the school's debating competition.

Nellie 自願擔任學校辯論比賽的主持人。

volunteer to be moderator for [event]

同義詞
  • chairperson

    more general term for the person leading a meeting, not specific to debates

  • facilitator

    less formal; can be used for both debates and collaborative discussions

文法句型

moderator + of + [event]

moderator + for + [organisation]

用法筆記

Common in academic conferences, political debates, panel discussions, and public meetings. The role is procedural — the moderator controls the flow and timing but does not judge the content or take sides. Distinguish from sense 1 (MEDIATE DISPUTES), where the aim is reaching agreement between opposing parties.

常見錯誤

❌The moderator decided who won the debate.
✅The moderator kept time and made sure each speaker followed the rules.
💡A moderator controls the process; a judge decides the winner.

3. a person who checks messages in an online discussion group or social media page,

3.名詞B1
釋義

版主

管理網路社群討論內容的人

a person who checks messages in an online discussion group or social media page, removing anything that breaks the rules of that community.

例句

The forum moderator removed several comments that contained personal attacks.

論壇版主刪除了好幾條包含人身攻擊的留言。

forum moderator removes [content]

Hiro works as a moderator for a large gaming community with thousands of members.

Hiro 在一個擁有數千名成員的大型遊戲社群擔任版主。

works as moderator for [online group]

同義詞
  • administrator

    broader role with more technical control over the site, not just content moderation

  • community manager

    more formal position that often includes moderation plus engagement and growth tasks

  • mod

    informal shortening, very common in gaming and online communities

反義詞
  • troll

    someone who posts deliberately offensive or provocative content online

文法句型

moderator + of + [online community]

用法筆記

The most frequent everyday sense in modern English. Often shortened to 'mod' in informal contexts (e.g., 'He is a mod on that server'). Common on social media platforms, forums, chat rooms, and gaming communities. Actions include removing posts, banning users, and warning members who break rules.

常見錯誤

❌The forum moderator posted a long message arguing with users.
✅The forum moderator removed the offensive posts and warned the user privately.
💡Moderators enforce rules neutrally; they do not join arguments.

4. a person whose role is to check that examination papers are graded consistently

4.名詞C1
釋義

評分督導

確保考試評分標準一致的人

a person whose role is to check that examination papers are graded consistently across different groups of students or different markers.

例句

The moderator checked that all teachers used the same scoring guide for essays.

評分督導確認所有老師都使用同一份評分標準來批改作文。

moderator checked that [standards] were consistent

As exam moderator, Marco reviewed grading samples from each marker.

Marco 擔任考試評分督導，審查每位閱卷者的評分樣本。

同義詞
  • examiner

    broader term; can mean anyone who marks or sets exams, not specifically someone who checks consistency

  • assessor

    general term for someone who evaluates work, not specific to exam consistency

  • marker

    someone who gives individual grades, not the person who checks the markers' work

文法句型

moderator + for + [exam/examination]

用法筆記

Primarily used in education systems, especially in the UK and Commonwealth countries. Unlike a marker who gives grades, the moderator checks the quality and consistency of grading across the whole examination. This sense is quite formal and less likely to appear in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌The moderator took the exam himself to check the questions.
✅The moderator reviewed how each teacher marked the exam papers.
💡A moderator checks grading consistency, not the content or difficulty of the exam.

5. a person elected to lead the governing body of certain Christian churches, espec

5.名詞C1
釋義

教會議長

長老教會等機構的領導者

a person elected to lead the governing body of certain Christian churches, especially Presbyterian ones, overseeing major decisions and meetings.

例句

The church moderator opened the annual meeting with a prayer and welcome speech.

教會議長以祈禱和歡迎詞揭開了年會的序幕。

church moderator opened [event] with [action]

Amelia was elected moderator of the Presbyterian council for a three-year term.

Amelia 獲選為長老教會理事會的議長，任期三年。

elected moderator of [church body] — electoral collocation

同義詞

文法句型

moderator + of + [church body/council]

用法筆記

Limited to Presbyterian and some Reformed Protestant church traditions. Not used in Catholic, Orthodox, or most mainstream Protestant denominations. The moderator is typically an ordained minister elected for a fixed term and acts as the head of the church's council or assembly.

常見錯誤

❌The pope is the moderator of the Catholic Church.
✅The moderator leads the governing body of the Presbyterian Church.
💡This term is specific to Presbyterian and some Reformed churches, not used for Catholic or most other church leaders.