moderately

Everyday

1. To a medium amount or degree; fairly but not very: «moderately hot», «moderately difficult». tree →
2. In a sensible, controlled way, not too much: «eat moderately». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: «a moderately priced restaurant». In health lessons: exercise moderately, eat sugar moderately. In science and recipes: «heat moderately» means medium heat. In surveys and grades, «moderately» is the middle step between «slightly» and «very». Phrases: «moderately successful», «moderately difficult», «moderately warm».

Examples

• The test was moderately difficult. tree →
• Heat the pan moderately, not on full. tree →
• The film was only moderately funny. tree →
• Exercise moderately every day. tree →
• It was a moderately warm day, about 18 °C. tree →
• The shoes were moderately priced. tree →
• Our team was moderately successful this season. tree →
• The river was moderately deep, up to my knees. tree →
• The Soldier drank, but only moderately, and declined to drink any more. tree →

Note

Adverb from «moderate» + «-ly». Similar: fairly, reasonably, quite. Opposite ideas: extremely, very, barely. Not a maths word, though in surveys «moderately» is often in the middle of a scale.