median 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mediannext
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1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size the median price of a home in the area

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in middle
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes determine the median point between your two speakers, and test your stereo system from there

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median

2 of 2

noun

as in normal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word median distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of median are average, mean, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

When would average be a good substitute for median?

The meanings of average and median largely overlap; however, average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of median?

The words mean and median can be used in similar contexts, but mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

When might norm be a better fit than median?

In some situations, the words norm and median are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

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 median
Adjective
Eventually, the swan was backed up against a median barrier as at least seven people stood nearby, monitoring the situation, before it was swaddled up into a large blanket. — Bailey Richards, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025 The eligibility for the tax exemption changes from year to year based on whether a county or region is deemed to have enough housing units for the population in the 80-120% median income bracket. — Laura Kinsler, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2025
Noun
The fifth funding opportunity would be to house residents making 30% to 50% of the area median income who would pay no more than 30% of their gross income toward their rent, with the city paying the rest through a grant, the news release said. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025 That mark ranked below the median of 31 asks per speech among all presidential addresses from 1965 to 2024. — Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for median
Recent Examples of Synonyms for median
  1. average
  2. middle
  3. normal
  4. halfway
  5. medial
  6. intermediate
  7. mid
Adjective
  • The national average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped to $3.081, according to AAA.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Mar. 2025
  • On average, that means customers purchasing apparel, shoes and jewelry are paying $13.16 less per item when buying from Temu instead of Amazon.
    — Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, vocalist Kya is a 14-year-old middle schooler who juggles her commitments as a K-pop idol with her daily homework.
    — Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That left the Heat outscored 70-35 over the middle two periods.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of middle
Noun
  • This year’s small audience decline is pretty on par with other award shows recently, suggesting that these ceremonies might be settling into a new normal after all of them saw viewership tank in 2020.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Conclusion: Turning Global Disruptions into Opportunities Global disruptions are the new normal for outsourcing providers operating complex international operations.
    — Mit Somaiya, Sourcing Journal, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • At the halfway point of Lady Gaga’s newest album, Mayhem, is a song that sounds like anything but the record’s title.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Education bills in the Indiana Statehouse drew scrutiny and controversy as the surviving bills head to the opposite chamber as the budget session reaches its halfway mark.
    — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of halfway
Adjective
  • The plate also has hexagonal cutouts that reduce its rigidity on the lateral side but is solid on the medial side.
    — Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The Hawks were missing Kobe Bufkin (right shoulder surgery), Jalen Johnson (left shoulder surgery), Vit Krejci (lumbar fracture), Larry Nance Jr. (right medial femoral condyle fracture) and Daeqwon Plowden (G League) against the Heat.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of medial
Adjective
  • So, if market activity only expands by adding new unnecessary intermediate stages to production, without adding any real final output, GDP accounts for this and will not be artificially inflated.
    — James Broughel, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • He’s recorded Top Five finishes in six of his past eight starts on intermediate tracks.
    — Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of intermediate
Adjective
  • Temperature could drop as low as the upper 40s to near 50 in South Florida suburbs, and to the low to mid 50s along the coast.
    — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The East should also warm to above normal early to mid week, before cooling off again back to normal (or slightly below) late week, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
    — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of mid

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Cite this Entry

“Median.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/median. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on median

Nglish: Translation of median for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about median

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