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Since inter- means "between, among", an intermediary is someone who moves back and forth in the middle area between two sides—a "go-between". Mediator (which shares the medi- root) is often a synonym, and so is facilitator; broker and agent are often others. Thus, a real-estate broker or agent shuttles between a house's buyer and seller, who may never even meet each other. Financial intermediation is what happens when you put money in a bank or investment firm, which then invests it in various companies; if you want, you can instead cut out the intermediary and invest the money directly in companies of your own choosing.
Examples of intermediary in a Sentence
Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Many of the assets are not in his own name, but instead held through a web of intermediaries, offshore companies, and business associates, Bloomberg reported.
—Emma Graham,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Whatever the cause, intermediary bites and sips make up a growing portion of Americans’ daily consumption, especially among young people, as my colleague Ellen Cushing wrote in 2024.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for intermediary
Cite this Entry
“Intermediary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intermediary. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
intermediary
noun
