at the center of things
idiom
: closely involved in things that are happening
He always likes to be at the center of things.
Examples of at the center of things in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Like many women who have created literary salons or used their wealth and privilege to put themselves at the center of things, Sylvia Lynd is now mainly remembered—if at all—for her weekly parties at 5 Keats Grove, Hampstead.
—
Nicola Wilson
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
For people who derive meaning from being visible, influential, or at the center of things, remote work can feel like a form of professional invisibility.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Teenager wonder Yamal was yet again at the center of things, scoring a scorching effort to open proceedings and then providing the assist for his team’s second goal.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
Elon Musk’s takeover of federal government infrastructure is ongoing, and at the center of things is a coterie of engineers who are barely out of—and in at least one case, purportedly still in—college.
—Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025
Milne’s nine figures were at the center of things when the center of things was U.S. state power.
—Cameron Munter, Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2016
Giving her the boot places Mr. Trump at the center of things, and is a gift to President Biden, taking all the heat off his programs and policies.
—Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 6 May 2021
Constantly being at the center of things, planning, delegating, strategizing, financing and worrying about how policies and situations may affect your business can be taxing.
—Unoma Okorafor, Forbes, 8 June 2022
Napoleon was surprised about the pope’s intransigence, as both Protestants and Jews had agreed to abide by Napoleon’s vision, which placed the state at the center of things.
—Zenger News, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023
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Nicola Wilson
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
For people who derive meaning from being visible, influential, or at the center of things, remote work can feel like a form of professional invisibility.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Teenager wonder Yamal was yet again at the center of things, scoring a scorching effort to open proceedings and then providing the assist for his team’s second goal.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
Elon Musk’s takeover of federal government infrastructure is ongoing, and at the center of things is a coterie of engineers who are barely out of—and in at least one case, purportedly still in—college.
—Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025
Milne’s nine figures were at the center of things when the center of things was U.S. state power.
—Cameron Munter, Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2016
Giving her the boot places Mr. Trump at the center of things, and is a gift to President Biden, taking all the heat off his programs and policies.
—Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 6 May 2021
Constantly being at the center of things, planning, delegating, strategizing, financing and worrying about how policies and situations may affect your business can be taxing.
—Unoma Okorafor, Forbes, 8 June 2022
Napoleon was surprised about the pope’s intransigence, as both Protestants and Jews had agreed to abide by Napoleon’s vision, which placed the state at the center of things.
—Zenger News, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“At the center of things.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20center%20of%20things. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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