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
Limited animal and human studies suggest that brain regions (e.g., insula, anterior cingulated [ACC], orbitofrontal [OFC]) and neurotransmitters (dopamine) that mediate substance dependence may also be involved with love addiction (as for PG). Discover Magazine, 27 July 2010 To this day, the United States sits at the center of many of the international institutions that govern the global commons, mediate disputes, and facilitate free trade. Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
Verb
To stop Pakistan from elevating the profile of Kashmir, Trump must not play into the country’s hands by offering to mediate the dispute. Lisa Curtis, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025 Riyadh has also offered to mediate U.S.-Iran negotiations over the future of Tehran’s nuclear program and possible sanctions relief. Ian Bremmer, Time, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mediate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediate
Adjective
  • In both games, the Celtics led by 20 points after the halfway mark of the third quarter.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
  • Close to the halfway line in the middle of the main stand, the directors’ section just behind.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
  • The decision by Vladimir Putin in 2015 to intervene directly with military forces in the fighting in Syria confirmed the expansion of Russia’s influence in the region.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • The middle seat often feels like the wild west of the cabin, where everyone seems to spill into your space.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2025
  • The show will also acknowledge the passage of that time: The first still image from the show (at the top of this post) shows that Bobby Hill, a perpetual middle schooler during the original run, has grown up.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • The government argues that district courts are expressly barred under the Immigration and Nationality Act from interfering in the execution of final removal orders, particularly under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(g).
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025
  • The only way McAfee wins this is if someone interferes and costs Gunther the match or Gunther beats him so violently that he gets disqualified.
    Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • But reducing intermediary involvement might also force PBMs to spin off their pharmacy operations entirely.
    Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • The partnership also spawned a covert payment network involving gold transfers and intermediary countries to bypass Western sanctions, complicating efforts by the United States and its allies to enforce export controls.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The researchers knew that spatial navigation and episodic memories are encoded in the temporal lobe, specifically in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC).
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2025
  • Expanding National Institutes of Health medial research by 60% over the last decade.
    Dick Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The recipe is based on an ancient wheat, which is best suited to drought conditions — shedding light on the climate of central Turkey during the Bronze Age.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025
  • The Colombian has achieved these numbers whilst rotating significantly between the starting XI and the bench, as well as the left wing and the more central ‘false nine’ position.
    Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • Rounding out the top three are San Jose, California and San Francisco, where homeowners paid a median $9,554 and $8,156, respectively.
    Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 24 May 2025
  • That fell short of the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists and marked the weakest April since 2009.
    Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mediate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediate. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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