verb

mediate

MEE-dee-ayt

verb

To help two opposing sides reach an agreement by acting as a neutral go-between.

"A retired judge was brought in to mediate the dispute between the two companies."

"Their friend tried to mediate after the brothers stopped speaking to each other."

adj

Acting through an intermediate step or agent rather than directly.

"The effect was mediate rather than immediate, working through several intervening causes."

How to Use Mediate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo step in between two disagreeing parties and help them settle things.

Common mistake

Easy to mix up with "meditate" (to reflect quietly) — mediate is about resolving a dispute between people.

Easily confused with

meditate →

Common pairings

mediate a dispute mediate between parties mediate a settlement

mediated past tense, mediates singular

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A retired judge was brought in to _____ the dispute between the two companies.

From Late Latin mediātus, past participle of mediāre ("to be in the middle"), from medius ("middle").

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