middle ground
Neither extreme chosen
Middle ground is a position between two extremes, especially in a dispute or negotiation.
Finding middle ground means reaching a compromise acceptable to opposing parties: We need to find some middle ground on the budget.
The phrase often implies pragmatism over ideological purity: There's no middle ground between them on abortion.
State of balance
- moderationAvoidance of excess
- centerMiddle of anything
- centerpointPrecise middle location
- golden meanIdeal moderate position
sweet spot · midpoint · mean · average · equipoise · centrism · temperance
Yielding a point
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- agreementShared position between parties
- trade-offExchange requiring sacrifice
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
give-and-take · halfway point · accord · reconciliation · bargain · deal · arrangement · understanding
Non-court binding dispute resolution
- conciliationResolving disputes through dialogue
- peacemakingResolving conflicts through negotiation
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- intercessionActing on another's behalf
facilitation · dispute resolution · go-between · intermediary · third party · mediator · broker · peace talks
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- nonpartisanshipAbsence of party affiliation
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- evenhandednessUnbiased, balanced judgment
disinterest · equidistance · nonalignment · fence-sitting · neutral stance · detachment · open-mindedness
equilibrium
State of balance
- moderationAvoidance of excess
- centerMiddle of anything
- centerpointPrecise middle location
golden mean · sweet spot · midpoint · mean · average · equipoise · centrism · temperance
concession
Yielding a point
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- agreementShared position between parties
- trade-offExchange requiring sacrifice
negotiation · give-and-take · halfway point · accord · reconciliation · bargain · deal · arrangement · understanding · resolution
arbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
- conciliationResolving disputes through dialogue
- peacemakingResolving conflicts through negotiation
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
intercession · facilitation · dispute resolution · go-between · intermediary · third party · mediator · broker · peace talks · neutral party
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- nonpartisanshipAbsence of party affiliation
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
evenhandedness · disinterest · equidistance · nonalignment · fence-sitting · neutral stance · detachment · open-mindedness
- centrismmoderates, moderation, compromise, bipartisanship, independents
- gray areasgray areas, murky waters, fuzzy boundaries, ambiguities, fine lines
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- compositionbalance, symmetry, asymmetry, proportion, layout
- compromisecompromise, meet halfway, give and take, give-and-take, split the difference
- relationship skillsempathy, rapport, trust, cooperation, dialogue
middle groundextreme
Furthest from moderate
extremes · extremism · polar opposite · fringe · outer limit
middle groundhard line
Rigid, inflexible policy stance
intransigence · all-or-nothing · ultimatum · zero-sum · take-it-or-leave-it
middle groundextremism
Ideology beyond accepted norms
radicalism · fanaticism · polarization · partisanship · ideological purity
ground, middle, medium, underground, median, middleman, middling, groundless, midfielder