Middling
adjective
Moderate or average in size, amount, or rank.
She earns a middling income from her job.
Often appears as...
- middling income
- middling size
adverb
To some extent, fairly.
She performed middling well in the competition.
Often appears as...
- middling well
- middling fast
noun
A substance or product of medium quality, especially flour.
The bakery uses middling flour for their pastries.
Often appears as...
- middling quality
- middling flour
Usage tips
Technical
adjective
Moderate or average in size, amount, or rank.
She earns a middling income from her job.
Often appears as...
- middling income
- middling size
adverb
To some extent, fairly.
She performed middling well in the competition.
Often appears as...
- middling well
- middling fast
noun
A substance or product of medium quality, especially flour.
The bakery uses middling flour for their pastries.
Often appears as...
- middling quality
- middling flour
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Common Pairings
Often used with nouns to describe something as quite average, not particularly outstanding.
The hotel had middling facilities.
Pro Tip 2/3Connotatively Neutral
Doesn't strongly sway towards positive or negative, but implies 'just enough' or 'sufficient'.
His performance was middling, neither extraordinary nor poor.
Pro Tip 3/3Not for Extremes
Avoid using 'middling' when describing something very high or low in quality or size.
You wouldn't say a mansion has a middling size.
Compare with
averageexceptionalmediocremoderateordinarypassable
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Video examples
Africa’s rhyming history...
second case let's fast forward three centuries at our second search for a rhyme this time I encounter in the southeastern fortune of what is today Nigeria the Atlantic slave trade of course came to an end in the middling reaches of the 19th century thank God that this did not spell the end of
Video examples
Can you solve the...
So while disk A’s middling consistency was an advantage in a single matchup, multiple fights increase the odds that one of the other disks will summon something better. And although C was the worst first-round option,
Video examples
Michael Green: What the...
My country, the United Kingdom, is sort of middling, sort of dull, but who cares — at least we beat the French.
Video examples
Africa’s rhyming history...
second case let's fast forward three centuries at our second search for a rhyme this time I encounter in the southeastern fortune of what is today Nigeria the Atlantic slave trade of course came to an end in the middling reaches of the 19th century thank God that this did not spell the end of
Video examples
Can you solve the...
So while disk A’s middling consistency was an advantage in a single matchup, multiple fights increase the odds that one of the other disks will summon something better. And although C was the worst first-round option,
Video examples
Michael Green: What the...
My country, the United Kingdom, is sort of middling, sort of dull, but who cares — at least we beat the French.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Kim Brooks
American Writer
I attended a middling high school in central Virginia in the mid-'90s, so there were no lofty electives to stoke my artistic sensibility - no A.P. art history or African-American studies or language courses in Mandarin or Portuguese. I lived for English, for reading.
Quote examples
Anthony Bourdain
American Author
I was a journeyman chef of middling abilities. Whatever authority I have as a commenter on this world comes from the sheer weight of 28 years in the business. I kicked around for 28 years and came out the other end alive and able to form a sentence.
Quote examples
Anita Elberse
Educator
Most large media firms make outsized investments to acquire and market a small number of titles with strong hit potential, and bank on their sales to make up for middling performance in the rest of their catalogs.
Quote examples
Walt Whitman
American Poet
I heard what was said of the universe, heard it and heard it of several thousand years; it is middling well as far as it goes - but is that all?
Quote examples
Hildegard Knef
German Actress
If you have to make mistakes, make them good and big, don't be middling if you can help it.
Quote examples
Herodotus
Greek Historian
Many exceedingly rich men are unhappy, but many middling circumstances are fortunate.
Quote examples
Blythe Danner
American Actress
I've always had a middling kind of a career, not great highs and great lows.
Quote examples
Roger Allam
English Actor
In 1983 I was still playing small to middling parts.
Quote examples
Kim Brooks
American Writer
I attended a middling high school in central Virginia in the mid-'90s, so there were no lofty electives to stoke my artistic sensibility - no A.P. art history or African-American studies or language courses in Mandarin or Portuguese. I lived for English, for reading.
Quote examples
Anthony Bourdain
American Author
I was a journeyman chef of middling abilities. Whatever authority I have as a commenter on this world comes from the sheer weight of 28 years in the business. I kicked around for 28 years and came out the other end alive and able to form a sentence.
Quote examples
Anita Elberse
Educator
Most large media firms make outsized investments to acquire and market a small number of titles with strong hit potential, and bank on their sales to make up for middling performance in the rest of their catalogs.
Quote examples
Walt Whitman
American Poet
I heard what was said of the universe, heard it and heard it of several thousand years; it is middling well as far as it goes - but is that all?
Quote examples
Hildegard Knef
German Actress
If you have to make mistakes, make them good and big, don't be middling if you can help it.
Quote examples
Herodotus
Greek Historian
Many exceedingly rich men are unhappy, but many middling circumstances are fortunate.
Quote examples
Blythe Danner
American Actress
I've always had a middling kind of a career, not great highs and great lows.
Quote examples
Roger Allam
English Actor
In 1983 I was still playing small to middling parts.
Example 1 of 8
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