centrality

noun

cen·​tral·​i·​ty sen-ˈtra-lə-tē How to pronounce centrality (audio)
plural centralities
1
: the quality or state of being central
the centrality of television in our livesPopular Photography
2
: central situation
the centrality of the park in the city
3
: tendency to remain in or at the center

Examples of centrality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The code appears to condone Justices’ close associations with the Federalist Society, which have raised concerns because of the organization’s centrality to the conservative legal movement and its powerful influence on judicial appointments. Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023 The Supreme Court has repeatedly found that only the sincerity of someone’s religious belief, not its orthodoxy or centrality to a system of beliefs, is determinative. Charles McCrary, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2023 Photographed by Carlos Jaramillo One of Evans’ first solo projects in 2018 was a video about the centrality of salmon to the Dleł Taaneets community. Clem De Pressigny, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2023 While rural areas in the Deep South have always had large Black populations owning to its centrality in the slave trade, in the last two decades, other rural communities in the U.S., particularly the Midwest and Northeast, have been diversifying. Time, 22 Aug. 2023 But there’s not much that small countries like Malaysia can do about it, except maintain the centrality of ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations], in our foreign policy. Time, 11 Oct. 2023 This should be no surprise, given the centrality of Dahl in Anderson’s artistic development. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023 Musk still defends his centrality to the company’s origins, stressing his financial contributions in its fledgling days. Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023 Although the committee first considered The Gathering Spot in historic West Adams as the event’s locale, the centrality and high-end atmosphere of the Line has helped to ensure its success. Jaelani Turner-Williams, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'centrality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of centrality was in 1642

Dictionary Entries Near centrality

Cite this Entry

“Centrality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centrality. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

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