Words / B2

MEED-ee-ayt/ˈmiːdieɪt/

To mediate is to help two sides reach an agreement: mediate a meeting; mediate between. Negotiate is the sides talking; arbitrate is a binding decision. A trained adult must mediate, not a prefect. Noun: mediation (already elsewhere). Mix-up: meditate is quiet focus (later in this set); immediate means at once (already elsewhere). Do not write mediate for “think quietly”.

Meaning

To help two sides reach an agreement.

Examples

• “A trained adult must mediate the exclusion meeting, not a prefect.”
• “The union asked a third party to mediate, which is the go-between sense.”

Good to know

mediate between / a dispute; mediation. Contrast: negotiate / arbitrate. Trap: meditate / immediate. Pastoral, law, and news. Help both sides, not sit in silence.

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