median 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mediannext
1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size the median price of a home in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in middle
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes determine the median point between your two speakers, and test your stereo system from there

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

median

2 of 2

noun

as in normal

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word median distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of median are average, mean, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When would average be a good substitute for median?

The meanings of average and median largely overlap; however, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of median?

The words mean and median can be used in similar contexts, but mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

When might norm be a better fit than median?

In some situations, the words norm and median are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

How is the word median distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of median are average, mean, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When would average be a good substitute for median?

The meanings of average and median largely overlap; however, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of median?

The words mean and median can be used in similar contexts, but mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

When might norm be a better fit than median?

In some situations, the words norm and median are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of median
Adjective
Families earning up to 300% of the area median income, as defined by HUD, would qualify. —Christopher P. Desanctis, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026 While the median home price in Miami fell about 7% to $610,000 in March, at the ultra-high-end range, demand is growing. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
The driver swerved into a grass median in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35W, continued through the grass to the bridge at Westport Parkway and drove over the wall onto the road below, Fort Worth police said. —Emerson Clarridge updated March 30, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026 Singh's semi-truck crashed into the side of Terry Schultz's pick-up, sending it across the median and into the path of another car, according to charging documents. —Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
  1. average
  2. middle
  3. normal
  4. halfway
  5. medial
  6. intermediate
  7. mid
Adjective
  • Precipitation is currently about 90 percent of average, boosted by strong winter storms in December.
    — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The average cost of mold remediation is about $2,300, according to Angi, a home services marketplace.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
  • On the road - Drive in the middle lanes and stay on high ground.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2026
Definition of middle
Noun
  • Roberts had yet to figure out a new normal for the top of the batting order without Betts.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
  • With snowfall 60% below normal for the season through February in its home state of Colorado and low in neighboring Utah, Vail has seen skiers and snowboarders stay away in droves.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Still, more than one in 10 firms scored zero, and only eight companies cleared the halfway mark.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Around the halfway point, though, the situation began to change.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of halfway
Adjective
  • Then, just two games into the 2023-24 season, Fudd tore her left ACL and medial meniscus during practice and was ruled out for the rest of the year.
    — Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The contract also mandates a coordinated social medial push, where schools had to publish at least one post on the their team’s primary Instagram, X and Facebook accounts, along with corresponding story posts.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of medial
Adjective
  • Choreography geared towards advanced beginner and intermediate teen/adult dancers, but all experience levels ages 14 and older are welcome.
    — Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
  • For cornerbacks, Hafley ideally wants someone who can excel at all three levels of coverage – line of scrimmage, intermediate and deep.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of intermediate
Adjective
  • The era of oil drilling began not long after James Young, a Scottish chemist, collected a sample of petroleum near an English coal mine in the mid-nineteenth century.
    — Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Aurigny, an airline based out of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, has cancelled some flights from mid-April stretching into early June as a result of the war.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of mid

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on median

Nglish: Translation of median for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about median

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