mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating: such as

a

: intervention between conflicting parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or compromise

The town feud raged until April … when, with the mediation of William N. Byers the dispute was settled and the name of Denver selected for the settlement.

—Thomas A. Martin

specifically : a means of resolving disputes outside of the judicial system by voluntary participation in negotiations structured by agreement of the parties and usually conducted under the guidance and supervision of a trained intermediary

More couples are considering mediation—or using a mediator to help them reach a compromise—rather than hiring two lawyers who fight it out for their clients.

—Mary Rowland

b

: indirect conveyance or communication through an intermediary

Islam recognizes no ordination, no sacraments, no priestly mediation between the believer and God.

—Bernard Lewis

Like any of the other emporiums of the western ocean, Mogadishu had plenty of employment for the commercial brokers … who provided the crucial mediation between the arriving sea merchants and the local wholesalers.

—Ross E. Dunn

c

: transmission by an intermediate mechanism or agency

The critical role of the hippocampus in the mediation of normal memory processes has been highlighted by the observation that in human patients bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, produces an extensive and durable amnesia for new information.

—Raymond P. Kesner et al.

mediational

ˌmē-dē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Examples of mediation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Additional mediation sessions with insurance companies are set for April 22 and 23. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025

Both sides thanked the United Arab Emirates for their mediation. —Arkansas Online, 20 Apr. 2025

That came months after Cole and the patient’s attorneys began mediation, which is a legal process to work toward agreement. —Kyle Pfannenstiel, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 2025

The New York Times reported earlier this month that Trump and Paramount are in mediation with the lawsuit. —Cate Martel, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mediation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Medical Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmēd-ē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating something (as a physical process)

mediational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: nonbinding intervention between parties to promote resolution of a grievance, reconciliation, settlement, or compromise compare arbitration