MEANING
1. To reduce intensity or keep something within less extreme bounds.
2. To preside over or guide a discussion or meeting.
3. Within a middle or restrained range rather than extreme.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- moderate a tone
- moderate a demand
On the page
She moderated her tone when the witness began answering.
He moderated the demand without changing its object.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- moderate
- Past tense
- moderated
- Past participle
- moderated
- Present participle
- moderating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- moderate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are moderating
- Present perfect
- have/has moderated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been moderating
- Past
- moderated
- Past continuous
- was/were moderating
- Past perfect
- had moderated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been moderating
- Future
- will moderate
- Future continuous
- will be moderating
- Future perfect
- will have moderated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been moderating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: moderate; moderates; moderated; moderated; moderating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: moderates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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