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
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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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Watches range from 1,500 euros to more than 11,000 euros, with an average price point around 5,000 euros.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
3 June 2025
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When psychologists and researchers began tracking attention spans in 2004, the average attention span on any screen was about two and a half minutes.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Reading these reports alongs with your own research can give you a decent idea of which cruise ships are doing the most to reduce their impact.—
Lea Lane,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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But the Tar Heel state has a decent amount of talent this year, and UNC does not appear to be in position to take advantage of it.—
Grace Raynor,
New York Times,
30 May 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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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
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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
Adjective
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Macron warned that the world risks dividing into two blocs, with medium powers increasingly pressured to choose sides as the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies—threatening to unravel the post-World War II global order.—
Micah McCartney Asia security reporter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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Beyond smartphones, cameras using the Micro Four Thirds system and Fujifilm’s medium format cameras also shoot in a 3:4 aspect ratio.—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Or perhaps two intense training sessions weekly with perfect recovery outperforms five mediocre workouts.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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So, except for 2019, every full season since 2017 has included one mediocre month.—
Peter O’Malley,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Stephen King’s novella about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
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During the 2014 Western Conference final, the Los Angeles captain — who was in the midst of playing 64 extra games in a 26-month span — was asked why his Kings were so impressive in the postseason, but so ordinary in the regular season.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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People were pretty indifferent to it in a funny way.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2025
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There’s no music, either, to soften or ennoble proceedings, only the indifferent murmur of weather over the startling debris of human conflict, or the slow creak of a galleon on lapping waters as sailors are sent cruelly to their deaths.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middling. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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