as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
during the Vietnam War the university's campus effectively became the area's omphalos for antiwar activity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of omphalos
While the rest of the world was in its accustomed turmoil, the Press, for which Ireland was the omphalos of the universe, took scant notice.
—
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
While the temples have crumbled, seeing the omphalos gave me goose bumps, and left me awe-struck over Delphi’s sublime place in history.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
Zeus marked the spot with a stone called the omphalos (navel), to signify the location’s centrality.
—National Geographic, 12 Mar. 2019
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
While the temples have crumbled, seeing the omphalos gave me goose bumps, and left me awe-struck over Delphi’s sublime place in history.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
Zeus marked the spot with a stone called the omphalos (navel), to signify the location’s centrality.
—National Geographic, 12 Mar. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omphalos
Noun
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The 88 apartments in the Metropolitan are 91% rented, according to a listing for the property by the Zacuto Group, which also touts its roof deck with pool, fitness center and barbecue grills.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and Stevie Wonder were a few big names at the Obama center opening ceremony.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The president's team also repaired fountains throughout the city, tore down the White House's East Wing to make way for a ballroom, attempted to close the Kennedy Center for renovations, and drew up plans for a gigantic triumphal arch across the river from the capital in Virginia.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Orbán was in the Belgian capital to take part in a Thursday summit of his Patriots for Europe party group, a collection of far-right parties from across the bloc that forms the third-largest caucus in the European Parliament.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
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This was true throughout the neighborhood, which established itself this month as a secondary mecca for Knicks fans.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Connecticut has been a mecca for dance ever since Martha Graham created the American Dance Festival at Connecticut College in 1948.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
Oil stockpiles at the critical oil hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, have plunged to the bare minimum of what is needed to operate.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Stray electric and magnetic fields that can slightly disturb electrons have far less influence on the nucleus.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
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Giotto managed to send home both dramatic images of the comet’s nucleus and measurements of the cloud of material around it.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The deep, sustained umbilical connection that leaves a navel simply never forms.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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The cutouts continued down until below the model's navel.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Local communities are the best locus to determine affordability for their residents.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
-
The result is a shift in the locus of error.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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