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
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
Matt Smith as his tempestuous brother; Emma D’Arcy as the king’s headstrong daughter; and Olivia Cooke as a courtier at the center of things.
—New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022
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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
Matt Smith as his tempestuous brother; Emma D’Arcy as the king’s headstrong daughter; and Olivia Cooke as a courtier at the center of things.
—New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022
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 1 Jul. 2025.
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