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 turbulent tenure of his predecessor, Jason Gill, had been marred by unrest in the clubhouse and middling results on the field.
—
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
On the other hand, its growth in a good year is middling.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
A lot has changed since then, but parsing out how much concern to have about the recent middling performances is not easy.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
The Broncos’ regrettable trade of the 31st pick and a third-rounder for the 26th pick to take quarterback Paxton Lynch in the 2016 draft is a prime example of over-extending for a middling prospect.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middling
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
On the other hand, its growth in a good year is middling.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
A lot has changed since then, but parsing out how much concern to have about the recent middling performances is not easy.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
The Broncos’ regrettable trade of the 31st pick and a third-rounder for the 26th pick to take quarterback Paxton Lynch in the 2016 draft is a prime example of over-extending for a middling prospect.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for middling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middling
Adjective
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Above average temperatures will continue this weekend.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty Clerc said that raising the FRA could slash average lifetime benefits by nearly 20 percent, according to research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Sales were decent, too, with more than one million copies shifted per year at the height of what quickly became a phenomenon.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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On its own, the ICE delivers a decent if not incredible 51.4mpg (42.8mpg with US gallon).—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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For many workers, that target can be difficult to match, considering that median income for full-time workers in their 30s is roughly $60,000 to $70,000, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the first quarter of 2025.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
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The median income for suburban renters, at $42,500, lags significantly behind that of homeowners, who earn an average of over $86,000.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Multiple audits — including one presented to the supervisors last month — found the company has continuously fallen short of the 90-95% compliance rate needed for a satisfactory rating.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
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Father’s Day tends to carry the rep of being a lower-key celebration, with a satisfactory time including food and beverages, maybe a clothing item, and peace and quiet.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Customers can order the Snack Wrap a la carte or as a combo meal, which includes two Snack Wraps, medium fries and a drink of choice, according to McDonald's.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
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Blend, increasing from low to medium speed, to combine.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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This means: • Spending hours optimizing crawl budgets won’t fix mediocre content.—
Nick Zviadadze,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Vest — once a Rule 5 pick who was returned to the Tigers after a mediocre stint with the Seattle Mariners — closed the door for the 10th time this season.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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JetBlue Airways flight 312 arrived from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport around 11:55 a.m. in what passengers described as an ordinary landing.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
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But then again … Look one more time at the last entry in the catalog of ordinary human stuff that the turtle’s shell is compared to: pottery.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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With most Americans declining to get COVID shots anyway, many people are indifferent to the changes.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
3 June 2025
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The poll showed that a whopping 83% of the Canadians polled were indifferent or did not care about the king’s visit.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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