center 1 of 2

noun

ˈsen-tər How to pronounce center (audio)
Definition of centernext
1
as in hub
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest a stretch of coastline that has long been the area's center of tourism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in middle
an area or point that is an equal distance from all points along an edge or outer surface the center of the earth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

center

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to consolidate
to bring (something) to a central point or under a single control centered administrative duties under the command of a single person

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to focus
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective the students centered their attention on final exams

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of center
Noun
Republicans are battling to keep their top-of-the-ticket foothold in a state that will, once more, stand at the center of the presidential campaign. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 Bake this classic all the way through for a light and tender crumb, or cut the bake time short for serious gooey goodness in the center. — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
The recent excavation, reported by British news agency Jam Press, centered on South Common in Lincoln, a historic English city roughly 140 miles north of London. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 The game includes a ridiculous campaign centered around a new Korean civil war. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for center
Recent Examples of Synonyms for center
  1. hub
  2. middle
  3. consolidate
  4. focus
  5. capital
  6. midst
  7. concentrate
  8. mecca
Noun
  • As the storm moved eastward into continental Europe, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport warned travelers of cancellations and delays of flights to and from the busy aviation hub caused by strong winds that were battering the Netherlands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • As emerging economies and coastal hubs face growing power shortfalls, modular floating plants offer a way to secure grid capacity while keeping the door open to future hydrogen adoption.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • Schwank also took issue with ICE’s characterization that Moreida was standing in the middle of an active road and impeding law enforcement’s actions.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Someone said their boat was sinking in the middle of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico.
    — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of middle
Verb
  • Purges of officials -- including some viewed as his political rivals -- have been carried out on a scale that led critics to argue the campaign was also used to consolidate his power.
    — KANIS LEUNG, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Leaders are expected to eliminate excess capacity, reduce working capital, streamline organizations, consolidate vendors and maximize the use of assets.
    — Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of consolidate
Verb
  • Shapiro told Semafor that he’ll be focused on passing a few specific items if his party wins full control of the government — not a parade of progressive bills, as Democrats in some swing states have done after winning the legislature.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than focusing solely on uniting the party’s traditional coalition in the aftermath of the primary, El-Sayed has sought to bring new voters — particularly college students and rural residents — into the fold.
    — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of focus
Noun
  • Alaska Airlines, Boise Airport’s main flight provider, will soon launch nonstop service from Idaho’s capital city to Santa Rosa, California.
    — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The country's upper house of parliament voted last month to require UBS to hold 90% of Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital, or about $16 billion in extra shares, as collateral to support its foreign subsidiaries.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • Lunch is not a social meal at the hotel, as patients are often in the midst of treatments, many of which can be exhausting.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In the midst of the carnage, Herbst seemed to have hit the wall and lost his ability to hit the brakes.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of midst
Verb
  • Such a division of responsibilities could allow Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to concentrate on demanding tasks such as area air defence, missile defence and long-range strike operations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • After college, Lincoln earned a master’s degree in art history from the University of Delaware in 1972, concentrating on 20th century art and classical art.
    — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of concentrate
Noun
  • But in the eight years since that location opened its doors, the brand has grown, and the mall has evolved from small art galleries into a vintage mecca.
    — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Food meccas include Pier 57 (hit Nom Wah for legendary dim sum, or LoLo’s on the Water for the fish fry) and, of course, Chelsea Market (try Miznon’s pita cheeseburger and roasted cauliflower, and Ayada’s mango sticky rice).
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of mecca

Phrases Containing center

Browse Nearby Words

centenarian
center
centered
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Cite this Entry

“Center.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/center. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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