Adjective

(-)

Of intermediate or average size, position, or quality; mediocre

The football team is never the worst or best in its league; its position is always middling .

* 12 July 2012 , Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift

The matter of whether the world needs a fourth Ice Age movie pales beside the question of why there were three before it, but Continental Drift feels less like an extension of a theatrical franchise than an episode of a middling TV cartoon, lolling around on territory that’s already been settled.

In fairly good health.

*1913 ,

*:"And how's that chest of yours?" demanded Mrs. Morel.

*:He smiled again, with his blue eyes rather sunny.

*:"Oh, it's very middlin' ," he said.

Adjective

(en adjective)

Failing to interest; usually used in response to something that was presented as exciting.

:The dinosaur island in Crystal Palace Park is underwhelming.

*{{quote-news, year=1990, date=July 13, author=Rita Kempley, title=‘Quick Change’ (R), work=The Washington Post citation

, passage=Davis, plush as ever, is a little whiny and underwhelming as Murray's girlfriend, who spends much of her time nurturing Quaid, doing his familiar sweet-natured lummox.}}

*{{quote-news, year=2005, date=August 17, author=Edward Wyatt, title=Sales Lag for Book on Deep Throat, work=New York Times citation

, passage=But in Washington and just about everywhere else, sales of "The Secret Man," Bob Woodward's story of the source known as Deep Throat, have been underwhelming .}}