Synonyms of core

core

noun

ˈkȯr 

1

as in heart

the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions

in my very core I knew that an injustice was being committed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• heart
• soul
• bone(s)
• mind
• gut
• bosom
• breast
• inner space
• inside
• blood
• belly
• quick
• conscience
• heartstrings

2

as in center

a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest

the capitol building is the core of the political life of the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

• center
• hub
• capital
• mecca
• focus
• base
• heart
• nucleus
• central
• seat
• locus
• nexus
• axis
• ground zero
• nerve center
• epicenter
• playground
• headquarters
• navel
• omphalos
• cynosure
• where it's at
• eye
• essence
• kernel
• hot spot
• hive
• attraction
• magnet
• hotbed
• pith
• nub
• thick
• deep
• soul
• happy hunting ground
• quintessence
• playland
• polestar
• lodestone

3

as in essence

the central part or aspect of something under consideration

at last, we come to the core of the issue that has been dividing us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• heart
• essence
• root
• kernel
• point
• nucleus
• sum
• meat
• pivot
• crux
• centerpiece
• bottom line
• sum and substance
• gist
• nub
• net
• pith
• theme
• keynote
• subject
• the long and short
• tenor
• content
• direction
• course
• bull's-eye
• body
• substance
• nubbin
• meat and potatoes
• thesis
• drift
• hypothesis
• proposition
• purport

4

as in body

the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts

a starfish can even survive the division of its core into two parts; both halves then regenerate

Synonyms & Similar Words

• body
• bulk
• weight
• majority
• essence
• staple
• main
• chief
• mass
• whole
• entirety
• bottom
• heart
• nature
• root
• burden
• center
• middle
• substance
• focus
• brunt
• generality
• kernel
• amount
• sum
• nucleus
• matter
• heft
• total
• soul
• subject
• meat
• totality
• aggregate
• marrow
• quantum
• hub
• theme
• topic
• stuff
• seat
• sum total
• text
• argument
• motif
• essentiality
• pitch
• quintessence
• point
• pith
• crux
• nut
• gist
• nub
• affair
• purport

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extension
• component
• element
• part
• section
• constituent
• ingredient
• segment
• accessory
• piece
• appendage
• adjunct
• offshoot
• division
• side
• quality
• feature
• aspect
• angle
• facet

5

as in midst

an area or point that is an equal distance from all points along an edge or outer surface

the mountain rises from ground that is almost precisely at the island's core

Synonyms & Similar Words

• midst
• center
• middle
• interior
• midpoint
• inside

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• periphery
• perimeter

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of core

The cores or plugs removed from the lawn during aeration actually increase the success of overseeding by providing more direct contact between the seeds and the soil. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026

Brentford’s recruitment and vision to plan have been at the core of the club’s success. — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

At its core, Dark Matter is a series about the folly and hubris of humankind, even when — nay, especially when — idealists have the power to achieve transformative change. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Throughout much of the season Elassal plays the dutiful friend to his core group — Lucy Freyer’s Billie, Owen Thiele’s Anton, Amita Rao’s Issa and Jack Innanen’s Paul Baker — and dutiful boyfriend to Rachel Marsh’s Carly. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026