neutral

adjective

Definition of neutralnext
1
as in independent
not favoring or joined to either side in a quarrel, contest, or war Sweden remained neutral during World War II, refusing to join either side in the conflict

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
lacking in distinctive features or qualities the hero is the novel's only fully fleshed person, all the others being rather neutral characters who are just there to advance the plot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of neutral Bella Hadid, for example, leaned into a bold-meets-neutral color palette with a transitional weather look in New York City in September. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 In his motion to disqualify Hippler, Kohberger and his attorney questioned the judge’s ability to remain neutral. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026 The Supreme Court must decide whether Colorado’s requirement that participating preschools comply with nondiscrimination rules is simply a neutral condition on receiving state funding, or an unconstitutional burden on religious exercise. — Preston Green Iii, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 These earbuds are for those who don't care about first-party features, want a neutral, detailed audio response, and don't mind—or even prefer—the bud shape. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for neutral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neutral
  1. independent
  2. boring
  3. autonomous
  4. beige
  5. impartial
  6. noncommittal
  7. nonpartisan
  8. featureless
Adjective
  • At the end of September, leaders of several of the biggest AI companies went to the White House and signed an accord committing to internal risk controls, independent audits and board-level oversight of safety.
    — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • However, the ministry’s statement does not provide independent verification of the results or disclose additional technical details about the missiles’ performance.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • Most impressive is its capacity to achieve the perfect balance between design and sophistication, without being uptight or boring.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The game was pretty boring overall, and the Seahawks looked like the significantly better team.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Instead, the test showed how a human could direct a semi-autonomous platform while its software handled the details of executing instructions.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Holland was ousted in 2020, when Sarandos combined English-language and international content under Bajaria (elevating the latter to the largest autonomous content job in the streamer’s history).
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • On the formalwear front, the traditional suit remains unchanged but can be updated with a choice between a new blue-and-white striped shirt, or the beige polo.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In rural Modoc County, in California’s remote northeast corner, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton donned a beige cowboy hat and climbed atop a horse.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of beige
Adjective
  • Before to Tuesday’s vote, CoC chair Ben Kay gave a recap of measures the board took to administer an impartial evaluation that scored the county higher than the city on handling homelessness issues.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • According to the county’s impartial analysis, the change was intended to provide flexibility in employment agreements while preserving the Board of Supervisors’ oversight responsibilities.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of impartial
Adjective
  • And while a grant proposal is currently before the Department of Defense to extend research support for another five years, the NCAA is noncommittal about its future funding of the project.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The Movie stinks in a thousand relatively minor and noncommittal ways that end up feeling so much worse than a grand and more personal disaster would.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of noncommittal
Adjective
  • Currently, those judges in some parts of the state have a party affiliation, though most counties have made their probate court elections nonpartisan through local laws.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Casias unsuccessfully ran as a Republican in a 2015 special election for a Texas House seat and for a nonpartisan seat on the Alamo Colleges board in 2020.
    — Sophia Veneziano, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of nonpartisan
Adjective
  • The small army at Kostabi World turned out images of featureless characters moving through strange, otherworldly scenes, caught between intimacy, alienation, and the discomfort of contemporary life.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Shooting in a widescreen format that gives ironic grandeur to a squat, featureless town in the Texas Panhandle, DP Peter Flinckenberg is attentive to the piercing, sometimes radiant winter light of the region in the harshest months of the year.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of featureless

Browse Nearby Words

neuters
neutral
neutralism
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Cite this Entry

“Neutral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neutral. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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