CENTRAL Synonyms: 191 Similar and Opposite Words

central 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsen-trəl

Definition of central

as in main

coming before all others in importance the central theme of the book

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in middle

occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes will hold the conference in the central part of the country in order to encourage delegates from both coasts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in moderate

avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas with all of the attention being paid to the party's right and left wings, the vast central core has been largely ignored

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

central

2 of 2

noun

as in center

a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest a health club that has become dating central for singles in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of central

Adjective

The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) is central to that strategy. — Panorama Media Ltd, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Co-production and producer-to-producer meetings also remain central to Forum. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Noun

Some of the areas include the combat information center, message center (radio central), forward main engine room, boiler room, aircraft elevator machinery room, arresting gear engine room and more. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 On Wednesday, Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari told CNBC that the central should begin raising rates, a move that could start as early as September with the central bank's next meeting. — Sean Conlon,hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for central

Recent Examples of Synonyms for central

Adjective

Saudi Arabia kept its main international airport closed and moved Riyadh schools online on Sunday after a deadly strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels the day before.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Our main focus is on J & J’s Innovative Medicine pharma segment.

— Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of main

Adjective

As China‘s longest public holiday of the year, overall retail data showed moderate improvement.

— Denni Hu, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
The weather service is warning that there is a moderate, or 40% chance, of excessive rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in places like San Diego, El Cajon, Chula Vista, Escondido, Palm Springs and Twentynine Palms.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of moderate

Noun

The exchange came as Kyiv pressed its campaign against Russian infrastructure, with a drone attack on Sunday shutting down a data center in the city of Vladimir, east of Moscow, run by technology giant Yandex.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Mentions of data centers have, predictably, shot up across all three networks in recent months as political backlash against AI swells and the data centers themselves have become a salient issue ahead of the midterms.

— J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of center

Adjective

Steve Sarkisian will not budge on this issue One of the primary reasons Manning chose to attend Texas was Sarkisian.

— Mac Engel October 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026
Flooding rains will be a primary concern, with several showers from Rachel having already reached the United States shoreline as of 2 pm Saturday.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of primary

Adjective

The 24-year-old, like Gordon, who replaced him in the second half, offered energetic pressing, even sprinting from close to the halfway line to close down the goalkeeper at one point.

— Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
The 26-year-old information technology administrator consumed a Red Bull energy drink around the film's halfway mark to stay alert.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 July 2026

Definition of halfway

Adjective

The conversation also addressed AI, with Velazquez comparing current anxieties to earlier fears that computer animation and motion capture would eliminate traditional animation jobs.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of traditional

Noun

Otthon Centrum analyst Gábor Soóki-Tóth said Tihany is one of the most expensive places in Hungary to buy a vacation property — with prices outstripping those in the nation's capital.

— Lucy Handley, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the island's capital city, Naha, early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026