mediate
MEE-dee-eyt
/ˈmiːdieɪt/
Intervene between people in a dispute in order to bring about an agreement or reconciliation.
Implies a neutral third party who helps the disputants communicate and find their own solution, without imposing a decision.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin word for 'middle', medius. To mediate is literally to place oneself in the middle of two opposing forces to prevent them from clashing and to guide them toward common ground.
Word relationships
- conciliate: Conciliate focuses on pacifying and building trust, while mediate focuses on the structured process of reaching an agreement.
- instigate: Instigate means to provoke or stir up conflict, whereas mediate means to resolve it.
Commonly confused with
- arbitrate: A mediator guides the conversation so the parties agree; an arbitrator acts as a judge and makes the decision for them.
Word family
- mediation (noun): the process of mediating
- mediator (noun): a person who mediates
Collocations
- mediate a dispute
- mediate between
- successfully mediate
Idioms & expressions
- bridge the gap
- pour oil on troubled waters
Example sentences
- "A neutral third party was brought in to mediate the contract negotiations." Describing a neutral third-party intervention.
- "The United Nations was asked to mediate the border dispute between the neighboring states." Discussing international conflict resolution.
Memory hook
Think of 'medium' or 'middle'. A mediator stands right in the middle. Standing in the middle to make peace.
When not to use
Do not use if the third party has the power to force a binding decision; that is arbitration.
Fun facts
- The word 'medium' (as in psychic or size) and 'media' (the press as a middleman of information) share the exact same root as 'mediate'.
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.