CENTRIST Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

centrist 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of centrist

as in moderate

avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas several centrist candidates were elected, apparently in a reaction against the extremists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

centrist

2 of 2

noun

ˈsen-trist

as in middle-of-the-roader

a person who holds moderate views the centrists will most likely rally behind the candidate who favors reforming the government program—not abolishing it entirely

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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 centrist

Adjective

French cities have been shaken in recent weeks by vandalism and looting sparked by cost-of-living demonstrations, amid a broader crisis besieging the country’s lame-duck centrist government that has spiked French bond yields. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party won an additional 23 seats in the lower house and nearly doubled its Senate seats, mostly at the expense of centrist parties. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Noun

With almost all the votes from the two-day ballot counted by the Statistics Office, the centrist ANO (or YES) movement led by the populist billionaire failed to win a single seat. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 Subsequent testing by the centrist think tank Third Way found that not responding cost Democrats roughly eight points, a penalty largely erased by a direct rebuttal. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for centrist

Recent Examples of Synonyms for centrist

Adjective

Lewis George defeated moderate Democrat Kenyan McDuffie in the June Democratic primary and will face off against independent and Green Party candidates in November in an election that is all but decided in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.

— Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Rypkema said the region could look to San Antonio’s Under 1 Roof program, which provides low- to moderate-income homeowners with one-time grants of up to $19,000 to fix worn or damaged roofs.

— Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of moderate

Adjective

The 151 MWh system is central to the design, bringing large-scale battery storage into a containership intended for regional routes.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Haaland, a citizen of Laguna Pueblo in west-central New Mexico, once relied on government assistance as a single mother.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of central

Browse Nearby Words

centrals

centrist

centrists

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Style

“Centrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/centrist. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of centrist

adjective

noun

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