moderate
MAH-der-it
/ˈmɑːdərət/
To make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.
As a verb, it often means to preside over a debate to ensure fairness and prevent tempers from flaring.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'modus', meaning 'measure'. To moderate is to ensure that everything stays within the proper 'measure' or boundaries.
Word relationships
- temper: Temper means to soften or neutralize something harsh; moderate means to keep it within limits.
- intensify: To intensify is to make something stronger or more extreme.
Commonly confused with
- mediate: To mediate is to solve a fight; to moderate is to keep a discussion from becoming a fight.
Word family
- moderation (noun): The avoidance of excess or extremes.
- moderator (noun): A person who moderates a debate or online forum.
Collocations
- moderate a debate
- moderate climate
- moderate views
Example sentences
- "He was asked to moderate the panel discussion on climate change to keep the debate civil." Public speaking
- "The doctor advised him to moderate his intake of caffeine to improve his sleep." Personal habits
Memory hook
Moderate: Like a 'moderator' on a website who deletes extreme comments to keep things 'middle-of-the-road'. Moderate = Keep it calm.
When not to use
Do not use 'moderate' when you mean 'average' in a negative sense; it usually implies a positive balance.
Fun facts
- In nuclear physics, a 'moderator' is a material used to slow down neutrons to sustain a chain reaction.
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