middling
1 of 2adjective
mid·dling ˈmid-liŋ 
-lən
1
: of middle, medium, or moderate size, degree, or quality
2
: mediocre, second-rate
3
: of, relating to, or being a middle class
middling adverb
middlingly
ˈmid-liŋ-lē
adverb -lən-
middling
2 of 2noun
1
: any of various commodities of intermediate size, quality, or position
2
middlings plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a granular product of grain milling
especially : a wheat milling by-product used in animal feeds
Synonyms
Adjective
- average
- intermediate
- mean
- median
- medium
- middle
- midsize
- midsized
- moderate
- modest
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 30 Aug. 2022 However, the automaker's middling execution of this concept results in the EQS being less of an equal to its gas kin and more of an understudy. Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2022 The Pixel 6a's chip is anywhere from two to three times faster than the middling MediaTek Helio G88 SoC in the G Stylus. Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 12 Aug. 2022 Spirit, a budget carrier with a middling reputation for service, keeps costs and fares low by charging extra for everything from seat selection to carry-on bags. New York Times, 27 July 2022 Despite his middling statistics, Toppin declared for the NBA draft this spring, electing to workout with teams before ultimately announcing his return to Kentucky. Jon Hale, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2022 The film received middling reviews (67% on Rotten Tomatoes) and is already shaping up to be hugely divisive among MCU fans. Zack Sharf, Variety, 11 July 2022 The Timbers, meanwhile, reverted into middling form and struggled to possess. oregonlive, 9 July 2022 That's small beer compared to the lackluster engine performance, but this won't surprise any current-generation Forester owners because the Wilderness has the same 2.5-liter flat-four with a middling 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 25 Oct. 2021 Jim Puzzanghera, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Pinto, however, believes that higher borrowing costs will cause a middling rather than catastrophic drop in the ranks of purchasers. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 June 2022 The Steelers are averaging a meager 301.8 yards and 16.8 points per game through the first month of the season, pitiful numbers that place them well behind even Denver’s middling (353.8 YPG, 20.8 PPG) offensive attack. Alex Kay, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 The Pack's other walking wounded will also benefit from rest ahead of the stretch run, which includes a favorable schedule offering up middling-to-bad NFC North opponents. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2021 Considering Chicago’s banged-up, middling defense — No. 23 in overall efficiency, according to Football Outsiders — Bears coaches might feel the same way. Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 19 Nov. 2021 Back in Japan, Mr. Kishida was an ardent — although, by his own admission, middling — baseball player. New York Times, 30 Oct. 2021 The death rate for counties with the highest Trump share since June 21 is 30% higher than for the counties with middling or lower Trump share. Susie Neilson, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Sep. 2021 The Portland Thorns are riding high at the top of the league table, even while missing several key players, and will face a Kansas City side down on their luck and middling at the bottom of the league table. oregonlive, 1 Aug. 2021 See More
Adjective
Given Dobbins’ deliberate rehabilitation and the group’s middling preseason performance, that could change. Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 30 Aug. 2022 However, the automaker's middling execution of this concept results in the EQS being less of an equal to its gas kin and more of an understudy. Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2022 The Pixel 6a's chip is anywhere from two to three times faster than the middling MediaTek Helio G88 SoC in the G Stylus. Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 12 Aug. 2022 Spirit, a budget carrier with a middling reputation for service, keeps costs and fares low by charging extra for everything from seat selection to carry-on bags. New York Times, 27 July 2022 Despite his middling statistics, Toppin declared for the NBA draft this spring, electing to workout with teams before ultimately announcing his return to Kentucky. Jon Hale, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2022 The film received middling reviews (67% on Rotten Tomatoes) and is already shaping up to be hugely divisive among MCU fans. Zack Sharf, Variety, 11 July 2022 The Timbers, meanwhile, reverted into middling form and struggled to possess. oregonlive, 9 July 2022 That's small beer compared to the lackluster engine performance, but this won't surprise any current-generation Forester owners because the Wilderness has the same 2.5-liter flat-four with a middling 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 25 Oct. 2021 Noun
New presidents often get a middling ranking after one year, with the exception of Trump, who was ranked third from last in 2018 and held the same spot in this year’s survey, said Donald P. Levy, the institute’s director. Jim Puzzanghera, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Pinto, however, believes that higher borrowing costs will cause a middling rather than catastrophic drop in the ranks of purchasers. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 June 2022 The Steelers are averaging a meager 301.8 yards and 16.8 points per game through the first month of the season, pitiful numbers that place them well behind even Denver’s middling (353.8 YPG, 20.8 PPG) offensive attack. Alex Kay, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 The Pack's other walking wounded will also benefit from rest ahead of the stretch run, which includes a favorable schedule offering up middling-to-bad NFC North opponents. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2021 Considering Chicago’s banged-up, middling defense — No. 23 in overall efficiency, according to Football Outsiders — Bears coaches might feel the same way. Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 19 Nov. 2021 Back in Japan, Mr. Kishida was an ardent — although, by his own admission, middling — baseball player. New York Times, 30 Oct. 2021 The death rate for counties with the highest Trump share since June 21 is 30% higher than for the counties with middling or lower Trump share. Susie Neilson, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Sep. 2021 The Portland Thorns are riding high at the top of the league table, even while missing several key players, and will face a Kansas City side down on their luck and middling at the bottom of the league table. oregonlive, 1 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing middling
middlingly
adverb
as in good
in a satisfactory way this vacuum handles basic jobs middlingly, but I'd recommend the other one for heavy-duty cleaning she's a middlingly successful architect, but no world-beater Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- good
- fine
- nicely
- well
- alright
- respectably
- serviceably
- passably
- decently
- okay
- acceptably
- sufficiently
- tolerably
- adequately
- all right
- creditably
- correctly
- satisfactorily
- so-so
- OK
- suitably
- appropriately
- fittingly
- rightly
- happily
- gratifyingly
- aptly
- efficiently
- felicitously
- satisfyingly
- congruously
- seemly
- neatly
- effectively
- meetly
- decorously
- effectually
- tidily
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- poorly
- insufficiently
- inadequately
- intolerably
- badly
- unsatisfactorily
- bad
- unbearably
- ill
- unacceptably
- awfully
- deficiently
- terribly
- horribly
- incorrectly
- dreadfully
- inappropriately
- miserably
- deplorably
- disastrously
- unsuitably
- indecently
- horrendously
- horridly