as in top billing
the center of public attention
a public health problem that has moved to center stage in recent years
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Recent Examples of center stage
As someone who was part of ESSENCE’s very first issue, Cleveland’s return to center stage feels full circle—an icon still blooming, still reinventing, and still reminding us that art, like life, is meant to be lived out loud.
—
Essence, 18 Dec. 2025
These page-turning stories will put characters like Pride and Prejudice’s snobbish Caroline Bingley to the modern descendant of Sense and Sensibility’s Eliza Williams at center stage in elevated fan fiction for Janeites.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
This is the message that has been celebrated for almost five decades, and hopefully many more with Almsted at the center stage.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 4 Dec. 2025
Raspberry Moon is not beating the shoegaze allegations; fuzz still sits at center stage, giving listeners the feeling of spending a gig stationed in front of the guitarist’s amp.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for center stage
Essence, 18 Dec. 2025
These page-turning stories will put characters like Pride and Prejudice’s snobbish Caroline Bingley to the modern descendant of Sense and Sensibility’s Eliza Williams at center stage in elevated fan fiction for Janeites.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
This is the message that has been celebrated for almost five decades, and hopefully many more with Almsted at the center stage.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 4 Dec. 2025
Raspberry Moon is not beating the shoegaze allegations; fuzz still sits at center stage, giving listeners the feeling of spending a gig stationed in front of the guitarist’s amp.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for center stage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for center stage
Noun
-
Given top billing for the first time while Jayson Tatum recovers from Achilles surgery, the 29-year-old is putting together the best season of his career as the leader of a Celtics team that has far exceeded preseason expectations.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
-
The moon and sun share top billing in 2026.—
Marcia Dunn,
Fortune,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Plunging necklines and pleated skirts would go on to be stylish spotlights in Monroe's fashions.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Storrie was thrust into the international spotlight in late 2025 for his role as hockey player Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry, based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Reid.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The bill passed in June without media attention, while bombs were dropping on Iran.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But Vanderbilt, as attention, pressure and fatigue rise on a pursuit no one outside its camp expected, is essentially two teams with two games left in the 2025 regular season.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Brian King Joseph may be entering the legal limelight with his lawsuit against Will Smith, but the musician is no stranger to showbiz.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Automotive companies like Ford and GM usually get the most limelight, but there were many others, like Singer, a company that normally makes sewing machines, that started making firearm components.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Toronto was in the catbird seat, just six outs away from the Fall Classic.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Carter Jensen always dreamed of sitting in the catbird seat at Kauffman Stadium.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Center stage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/center%20stage. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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