Intermediary: meaning, definitions and examples

Used in formal situations to describe someone who acts as a middle person in processes like business transactions, negotiations, or any scenario involving multiple parties.

• The company hired an intermediary to help negotiate the merger.
• He acted as an intermediary between the disputing parties.

Specifically used in situations where a neutral third party is required to resolve a dispute or conflict between two or more parties. Often used in legal, business, or organizational disputes.

• The couple hired a mediator to help with their divorce settlement.
• The mediator worked to find a fair resolution for both sides.

Informal and can sometimes have a negative connotation, used to describe a person who communicates between two parties, often in secret or when parties don't want direct interaction.

• She acted as a go-between for the two companies.
• He was the go-between in their secret negotiations.

Often used in educational or organizational settings to refer to someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them in planning to achieve these objectives without taking a particular position in the discussion.

• The workshop was successful largely due to the skilled facilitator.
• She served as a facilitator during the team-building activities.

An intermediary is used when speaking about a person or entity that acts as a mediator or go-between in negotiations or communications between parties.

• The lawyer acted as an intermediary between the two disputing companies.
• They hired an intermediary to handle the delicate negotiations.

Interface is primarily used in technical or computing contexts to describe a point of interaction between systems, software, or devices.

• The new software includes a user-friendly interface.
• The interface between the two programs allows them to communicate effectively.

Connector is used to describe a device or element that physically joins or links components in a system, often in electronic or mechanical contexts.

• The engineer used a new type of connector to link the two circuits.
• This social event can act as a connector for people from different industries.

Link is often used in general contexts to denote a connection or relationship between objects, ideas, or people. It can also refer to hyperlinks in digital contexts.

• She could see a clear link between the two events.
• Click on the link to access the document.