Moderately intelligent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Moderately intelligent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who has a fair level of intelligence, neither exceptionally high nor low. Example: "While he may not be a genius, he is moderately intelligent and can grasp complex concepts with some effort."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Huffington Post

The Guardian

The New York Times

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In his words: "I actually succeeded in failing first year arts, which any moderately intelligent amoeba could have passed".

The Guardian - Books

In his words: "I actually succeeded in failing first year arts, which any moderately intelligent amoeba could have passed". All the same, he went on at the age of 28 to write a book on The Art of Australia.

The Guardian - Books

Indeed, if he weren't such an important ringmaster in the mediatised circus that's been our national life in the past two or three decades, I would have begun drifting off at this point: far too many of his observations sound like something you might hear from any moderately intelligent Briton.

The Guardian - Books

"I think that as a moderately intelligent women who has a slight public platform (and also as someone who had just run for a train, in the hail, in a mercifully flat pair of shoes) I owe it to others to stand up to this nonsense and I'm delighted that the awesome Twitter community was with me".

The Guardian - Film

It's hard to pick the worst section, but it was probably the one in which Ms. Spain stumbled around in a skirt suit and slip-on wings as an unhinged teacher talking about butterflies, while Mr. Papoutsas, in a baseball cap, gave an impression of a child at which any moderately intelligent child would have taken offense.

The New York Times - Arts

By contrast, Norton and Brown (with tongue in cheek) agree with Bernard Shaw on the virtues of moderation, when Shaw said of the typical member of the middle class that he is moderately honest, moderately intelligent, and moderately faithful to his spouse.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"I'm a moderately engaging, reasonably intelligent 30-year-old, who's had an interesting life — like someone who was raised by wolves, or the person that cultivated an extremely large pumpkin".

Vice

As a young adult I was living in rural North Queensland, working at TAFE and having a fling with a moderately important, intelligent public servant.

The Guardian - Opinion

Sure, as the article intimated, it's possible to rise above the stupidity with which you were born and make yourself a moderately more intelligent person, but a genius?

Huffington Post

I was moderately healthy.

Huffington Post

Mr. Forrester turns out to be an engaging and intelligent businessman, a moderately conservative Republican whose public record pales next to Mr. Lautenberg's.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone as "moderately intelligent", consider the context. This phrase is useful when you want to avoid overstating someone's intelligence while still acknowledging their cognitive abilities. Use it to provide a balanced assessment.

Common error

Avoid using "moderately intelligent" when a stronger term is warranted. If someone consistently demonstrates high-level thinking and problem-solving, using this phrase may downplay their actual capabilities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moderately intelligent" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a level of intelligence that is neither high nor low. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

20%

Huffington Post

20%

Less common in

Academic

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "moderately intelligent" is used to describe a level of intellect that is neither exceptionally high nor low. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts, primarily in news and media, and science. While its usage isn't pervasive, it provides a balanced assessment. For alternative expressions, consider "reasonably clever" or "fairly smart" to convey similar meanings. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the subject's actual cognitive abilities to avoid overstating or downplaying their intelligence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Reasonably clever

Replaces "intelligent" with "clever" and "moderately" with "reasonably", indicating a satisfactory level of intelligence.

Fairly smart

Uses "smart" as a synonym for "intelligent" and "fairly" for "moderately", suggesting an adequate level of intellect.

Somewhat bright

Employs "bright" as a substitute for "intelligent" and "somewhat" for "moderately", denoting a certain level of intelligence.

Aptly astute

Utilizes "astute" to mean "intelligent" and "aptly" to replace "moderately", implying a fitting level of intelligence.

Passably discerning

Replaces "intelligent" with "discerning" and "moderately" with "passably", suggesting an acceptable level of understanding.

Adequately knowledgeable

Uses "knowledgeable" as a synonym to "intelligent", and "adequately" to mean "moderately", signifying a sufficient grasp of information.

Competently insightful

Replaces "intelligent" with "insightful" and "moderately" with "competently", describing someone who possesses a basic level of insight.

Tolerably perceptive

Employs "perceptive" to mean "intelligent" and "tolerably" to replace "moderately", indicating an acceptable level of awareness.

Sufficiently brilliant

Substitutes "brilliant" for "intelligent" and "sufficiently" for "moderately", which suggests a minimum required level of intellect.

Decently quick-witted

Replaces "intelligent" with "quick-witted" and "moderately" with "decently", indicating a fair capacity to think fast.

FAQs

How can I use "Moderately intelligent" in a sentence?

You can use "Moderately intelligent" to describe someone who possesses a fair level of intelligence without being exceptionally brilliant. For example: "While not a genius, he is "moderately intelligent" and capable of grasping complex concepts".

What are some synonyms for "Moderately intelligent"?

Alternatives include phrases like "reasonably clever", "fairly smart", or "somewhat bright", depending on the context and the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "moderately intelligent" or "average intelligence"?

"Moderately intelligent" and "average intelligence" are similar, but "moderately intelligent" suggests a slightly positive connotation, implying capability, whereas "average intelligence" is more neutral. The best choice depends on the specific context and the message you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "moderately intelligent"?

It is appropriate to use the phrase "moderately intelligent" when you want to describe someone as having a level of intelligence that is neither exceptionally high nor low. It's suitable for providing a balanced and realistic assessment without exaggerating or downplaying their cognitive abilities.