centerpiece

noun

cen·​ter·​piece ˈsen-tər-ˌpēs 

ˈse-nər-

1

: an object occupying a central position

especially : an adornment in the center of a table

2

: one that is of central importance or interest in a larger whole

the centerpiece of a political agenda

Synonyms

• core
• essence
• heart
• root
• kernel
• point

Examples of centerpiece in a Sentence

resolution of the original dispute became the centerpiece of the negotiations

Recent Examples on the Web

The centerpiece of the property is a 2,300-square-foot ranch house, surrounded by a caretaker’s home, a barn, a four-car garage, sheds and corrals. —David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 16 Aug. 2025

The series is the centerpiece of a busy few years for the veteran actor. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025

The bravura centerpiece is the two friends’ destructive brawl in a Hamptons manse, which explodes everything in sight, from an enormous aquarium to the second story window. —Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025

The Benchmark name will be on a venue that serves as the centerpiece surrounded by a downtown Water Street development that has been built up and built out since the pandemic. —Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for centerpiece

• altarpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• masterpiece
• pilates
• summarise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise

Kids Definition

centerpiece

noun

cen·​ter·​piece ˈsent-ər-ˌpēs 

: a piece put in the center of something and especially a decoration (as flowers) for the center of a table