middleman

noun

mid·​dle·​man ˈmi-dᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
: an intermediary or agent between two parties
especially : a dealer, agent, or company intermediate between the producer of goods and the retailer or consumer

Examples of middleman in a Sentence

The Internet helps consumers save money by buying products directly from companies and eliminating the middleman. We've cut out the middleman and can reduce prices for our customers. He acted as the middleman in the talks between labor and management.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These middlemen interact with insurance companies and drug manufacturers, but there is little publicly available data about their role in drug pricing. Dr. Sejal Parekh, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024 Stuck In The Middle In this way, healthcare’s most entrenched middlemen are unlike the disruptive go-betweens of other industries. Robert Pearl, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 Cardinal Health is going from being a middleman to a legit services company under CEO Jason Hollar. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024 The former leader of theater-owner’s group NATO has a new way to get your independent film into movie theaters — one intended to cut out the middleman. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for middleman 

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of middleman was in 1677

Dictionary Entries Near middleman

Cite this Entry

“Middleman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middleman. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

middleman

noun
mid·​dle·​man ˈmid-ᵊl-ˌman How to pronounce middleman (audio)
: go-between
especially : a dealer between the producer of goods and the consumer

More from Merriam-Webster on middleman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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