1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decent
of average to below average quality
was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middling
The album’s various fine to middling duets and collabs make their own case for canonicity—in a decade the latest comer may request Kehlani to class up their singles.
—
Alfred Soto, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
This was the call the Wizards made in making deals for Trae Young and Anthony Davis before the trade deadline, rather than overpay for middling free agent talent this summer.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
However, when zooming out, the revisions to a middling January and a horrendous February, job creation was 7,000 positions lower than previously thought.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
The first two Harry Potter films, based on the JK Rowling novels that became a global sensation, were massive events and box office successes but earned middling reviews from critics.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middling
Alfred Soto, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
This was the call the Wizards made in making deals for Trae Young and Anthony Davis before the trade deadline, rather than overpay for middling free agent talent this summer.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
However, when zooming out, the revisions to a middling January and a horrendous February, job creation was 7,000 positions lower than previously thought.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
The first two Harry Potter films, based on the JK Rowling novels that became a global sensation, were massive events and box office successes but earned middling reviews from critics.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middling
Adjective
-
Good for 79 runs of production above an average player, per FanGraphs.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Even then, savings for average drivers aren’t huge.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Battery life on the phone overall is decent, but not great.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Its 29 grind settings offered enough range to produce both a decent espresso shot and pot of French press.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
In 2024, the median home price in California topped $800,000, which is double the national median.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Mamdani intends to cut the median time for approvals from 210 to to 100 days via a mix of simplifying income verification, speeding up the process for lottery winners to be selected, and streamlining the applications, among other things.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
During a mediocre season, many fans, hoping to improve their team’s draft position, root for their side to lose.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
This is not a problem confined to mediocre leaders.—
Bryce Hoffman,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Available in small, medium and large, this paw cleaner has silicone bristles that remove dirt from muddy paws.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
-
Uncover, increase heat to medium, and cook until excess liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.—
Jed Portman,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier subpoenaed the NFL on Wednesday after the league failed to provide a satisfactory response to the Republican official’s concerns about diversity hiring practices.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2026
-
And the Anza-Borrego Foundation that opposes the power line going through any portion of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park told the Union-Tribune that undergrounding the line within the park is not a satisfactory solution.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
But the export success has hardly trickled down to ordinary citizens and transformed into buying power that can reverse the ongoing property slump, analysts say.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
Claude will suddenly and unexpectedly tell a user during an ordinary chat to consider getting some sleep or rest, doing so in a casual, positive manner (not a harsh demand or rude insistence).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, nature remains beautiful and indifferent to our joys and our suffering.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
In court Monday, the judge called Atica as Michael Cozzens and appeared indifferent to Atica’s identity.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middling. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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