moderation is key

4.2

Avoid extremes and do things in a balanced way

idiom

: la moderación es clave

Whether exercising or relaxing, moderation is key to maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Examples

When it comes to eating sweets, moderation is key if you want to stay healthy.
Some people believe you should work as much as possible, but I think moderation is key.
In life, moderation is key to happiness.
Remember, moderation is key when it comes to diet.
When it comes to spending money, moderation is key to avoid financial troubles.
For a healthier lifestyle, moderation is key in both diet and exercise.
To achieve lasting success, moderation is key in all areas of your life.

Antonyms

extremism

Literature

62 7.4

Holding very strong political or religious beliefs and supporting actions that harm others

Surface Forms

moderation is key main

Morphology

moderation + be + key

The meaning is directly and transparently derivable from the constituents: 'moderation' (balanced behavior) + 'is' (copula) + 'key' (important), yielding 'moderation is important.' This copular construction meaning 'X is important/essential' is common and easily inferred by a B1 learner who knows the component words.

Etymology

Moderation is key uses the image of a small key opening a door. It means choosing moderation, or 'not too much or too little', is the best way to get good results.