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
Relevance
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
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 middling
The Afeela brought bland styling for a fastback, middling 300-mile (483 km) range, and fairly commonplace in-cabin features for an entry-level luxury car.
—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
This middling progress—the actual work of government, of public service—is obscured by Kennedy’s online persona.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
Their defense was average at best last year, despite unusually good health, and Mahomes’ weapons outside of Walker are middling.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
And why would Venezuela hire a middling, one-term former congressman with a history of scandal?
—Jim Defede, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middling
Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
This middling progress—the actual work of government, of public service—is obscured by Kennedy’s online persona.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
Their defense was average at best last year, despite unusually good health, and Mahomes’ weapons outside of Walker are middling.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
And why would Venezuela hire a middling, one-term former congressman with a history of scandal?
—Jim Defede, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middling
Adjective
-
Thousands are now not showing up for work, hundreds have quit altogether, and the average wait time at airports has reached record levels.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
That’s the view of Robinhood, which counts 250,000 customers paying on average $250 annually to use its Strategies, an AI tool guided by human advisors.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But there were a few decent ones.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That’s because this winter brought decent rain and the three years prior were wet, too.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While the nation’s median age has risen across racial and ethnic groups, the increase is sharpest among White Americans (from 30 to 45 years old) and Black Americans (from 21 to 36 years old).—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The Bottom Line for Fort Worth Buyers Fort Worth remains more affordable than the national market, with a median home price roughly $70,000 below the national median of approximately $410,000.—
System Process,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many longtime observers believe forcing the lowest seeds to cannibalize themselves in the opening round would strip the main event of its charm and that the mediocre teams from the heavyweight leagues should fill the 12 opening round matchups.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
After all, television is a business where thousands of people work, and a mediocre show can employ just as many people (minus a few writers) as an Emmy-winner.—
Jennifer Silverman,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Add bread and set over medium heat.—
Molly Baz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Regulatory changes offering tailwinds Over the medium term, regulatory changes could also further tilt the playing field.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Safety, satisfactory customer service, and ensuring riders feel secure are best achieved by maintaining — and even increasing — staffing in transit systems.—
John Samuelsen,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Cavedon said the case centers on what happens if a person gives an answer that the officer doesn’t find satisfactory.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Deuterium can replace one or both of the ordinary hydrogen atoms in water, which is what scientists mean by deuterium enrichment.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
For instance, investments that give off income that is taxed at ordinary rates go into retirement accounts like IRAs, said CFP Cathy Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump is famously indifferent to the concerns of those around him.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The show, which runs through March 28, has a blistering message to impart about the insidious nature of authoritarian political movements and the dangers of being oblivious or indifferent.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Middling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middling. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
