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in the middle

ADJECTIVE
between the devil and the deep blue sea
Synonyms
WEAK
Catch-22 Hobson's choice between Scylla and Charybdis between a rock and a hard place between the hammer and the anvil between two fires cornered in a dilemma in a pickle in a predicament no choice sitting on a powder keg
ADJECTIVE
on the fence
Synonyms
WEAK
ambivalent betwixt and between blowing hot and cold borderline debatable divided hemming and hawing hesitant iffy impartial indecisive irresolute neutral not definite not sure of two minds open running hot and cold tentative torn uncertain unclear uncommitted undetermined unsure up in the air waffling wavering wishy-washy
ADJECTIVE
undecided
Synonyms
STRONGEST
ambivalent doubtful hesitant uncertain unclear uncommitted undetermined unsure vague wavering
WEAK
betwixt and between blowing hot and cold borderline debatable dithering dubious equivocal hemming and hawing iffy indecisive indefinite irresolute moot of two minds on the fence open pendent pending running hot and cold tentative torn unfinished unsettled up in the air waffling wishy-washy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
certain clear definite determined resolved secure settled sure
WEAK
decided undoubted
ADVERB
between
Synonyms
STRONG
betwixt
WEAK
amid amidst among at intervals bounded by centrally located enclosed by halfway in in the midst of in the seam in the thick of inserted interpolated intervening medially mid midway separating
PREPOSITION
through
Synonyms
STRONGEST
about straight
WEAK
by clear for the period from beginning to end in in and out into past round throughout
Antonyms
WEAK
around

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They had been in the middle of talking about finding food for their evening meal.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

"It soon stopped when some lads were going down in the middle of the night and throwing all the towels into the pool."

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Rose-Perfito alleged that Scientology officials repeatedly called her mother in the middle of the night after the April 25 speed run.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

It was a bit surreal, said former visitor John Honell of West Covina: “You had this whole complex in the middle of the desert.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Celia and I were in the middle, making faces at each other, and Francey had one arm around Maggie.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff