middleman Definition
- 1a person who buys goods from producers and sells them to retailers or consumers
- 2a person who arranges business or political deals between other people
Using middleman: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "middleman" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The middleman makes a profit by selling the goods at a higher price than they paid for them.
Example
The company uses a middleman to distribute their products to retailers.
Example
He acted as a middleman in the negotiations between the two countries.
middleman Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for middleman
- intermediary
- broker
- agent
- go-between
- mediator
Phrases with middleman
Example
By buying directly from the manufacturer, we can cut out the middleman and save money.
Example
The middleman markup can significantly increase the final price of a product.
Example
The middleman fee is usually a percentage of the total transaction value.
Origins of middleman
from 'middle' + 'man', meaning a person in the middle of a transaction
Summary: middleman in Brief
A 'middleman' [ˈmɪdlˌmæn] is a person who buys goods from producers and sells them to retailers or consumers, or who arranges business or political deals between other people. It is often used in phrases like 'cut out the middleman,' which means to eliminate intermediaries and deal directly with the source or end user. The term also includes idioms like 'middleman markup,' referring to the amount added to the cost of a product by a middleman to make a profit.
