mediate 1 of 2

as in halfway
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes has a black-and-white view of human nature, believing that there is no mediate state between good and evil

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mediate

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mediate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of mediate are intercede, interfere, interpose, and intervene. While all these words mean "to come or go between," mediate implies intervening between hostile factions.

mediated between the parties

When could intercede be used to replace mediate?

The words intercede and mediate can be used in similar contexts, but intercede implies acting for an offender in begging mercy or forgiveness.

interceded on our behalf

When would interfere be a good substitute for mediate?

The synonyms interfere and mediate are sometimes interchangeable, but interfere implies hindering.

noise interfered with my concentration

When is it sensible to use interpose instead of mediate?

Although the words interpose and mediate have much in common, interpose often implies no more than this.

interposed herself between him and the door

When can intervene be used instead of mediate?

While the synonyms intervene and mediate are close in meaning, intervene may imply an occurring in space or time between two things or a stepping in to stop a conflict.

quarreled until the manager intervened

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 mediate
Adjective
Transfer that to the modern workplace, and Type A employees are suited to leading projects and attacking problems quickly, while Type B workers can reduce panic, mediate conflict and suggest collaborative solutions. David Morel, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Unlike human leaders, AI cannot interpret the moral weight of a policy decision, mediate conflict through emotional intelligence, or make judgment calls that require contextual sensitivity. Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
The Western New York Coalition of Farmworker Serving Agencies helped mediate the standoff, according to WXXI. Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Meanwhile, there are eight massless gluons (mediating the strong nuclear force), one massless photon (mediating the electromagnetic force), and three very massive W-and-Z bosons (mediating the weak nuclear force), plus the Higgs boson to complete the Standard Model. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mediate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediate
Adjective
  • Only two of Swift’s albums appear below the halfway mark on the 200-spot ranking.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As Phoenix passes the halfway mark of this year’s monsoon, dramatic downpours, gusty haboobs and streaks of lightning across the sky have been mostly absent.
    Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Jordan intervenes and tries to calm him down, but Sam starts fighting back.
    Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The organizations filed their plea to intervene with the Collin County district court handling the Paxtons’ case on Tuesday.
    Lauren McGaughy, ProPublica, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Your mind might immediately go to the early-years Redford, or the heyday Redford of the 1970s, or even the middle-aged Redford who gave projects a sense of gravitas.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Grayson tried to interfere, but Penta laid waste to Big G.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Particle has also accused Epic of defaming the company and interfering in its business relations.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Without intermediary markups and administrative complexities, direct-to-consumer channels can offer substantial savings.
    Ge Bai, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Another is by supplying electronic components to Russian weapons via intermediary trade routes.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Anchoring the disparate variants of the LeBron 23 while serving as a containment system is a large panel shaped like James’ crown logo taking up the majority of the medial upper.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, there’s a name for this: shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome in medical-speak.
    Jenny McCoy, SELF, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As Milchick, Tillman infused an unnerving cheerfulness into Lumon Industries’ macrodata refinement supervisor, a character who became increasingly central in Season 2.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Jones detailed new de-icing equipment, dedicated crews, and a central dashboard so all departments can see in real-time how their decisions impact the entire network.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The median annual salary for dispatchers is around $50,000, which may be decent on paper but falls short when weighed against the emotional and cognitive demands of the job.
    Jason Truppi, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
  • With median home prices around $232,500 and rents around $1,000, Amarillo offers budget-friendly options for those looking for an active lifestyle.
    Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mediate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediate. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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