middle-of-the-road

[ mid-l-uhv-thuh-rohd ]
See synonyms for middle-of-the-road on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. favoring, following, or characterized by an intermediate position between two extremes, especially in politics; moderate.

  2. of, relating to, or describing a type of popular music that avoids extremes of style and is catchy and tuneful enough to have broad appeal. Abbreviation: MOR

noun
  1. Also called easy listening. popular music having comparatively conventional, melodic qualities and hence having broad commercial appeal. Abbreviation: MOR

Origin of middle-of-the-road

1
An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Other words from middle-of-the-road

  • middle-of-the-roader, noun
  • middle-of-the-roadism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use middle-of-the-road in a sentence

  • But their anti-internationalism presentations are generally milk-and-water middle-of-the-roadism which is virtually meaningless.

British Dictionary definitions for middle-of-the-road

middle-of-the-road

adjective
  1. not extreme, esp in political views; moderate

  2. of, denoting, or relating to popular music having a wide general appeal

Derived forms of middle-of-the-road

  • middle-of-the-roader, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012