nerve center

noun

Definition of nerve centernext
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest Wall Street's undisputed status as the nerve center for the world of high finance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 nerve center In effect, the system serves as the tournament's digital nerve center, helping FIFA and Lenovo manage the complex logistics of hosting matches simultaneously across countries and cities. — Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 8 July 2026 Ultimately the interference can lead to flight disruptions and delays as confusion descends on the nerve center of a plane. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 Across the room, the electricity is sent through a rectifier, the nerve center for the substation. — New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026 The targets were not rocket launchers or weapons depots, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but the nerve centers of the organization — command rooms, intelligence headquarters and offices where Hezbollah commanders planned the next stage of the fight. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nerve center
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve center
  1. center
  2. capital
  3. hub
  4. mecca
  5. nucleus
  6. focus
  7. ground zero
  8. core
Noun
  • Balancing functionality with the brand’s house codes, the bag features two spacious compartments and a zippered one in the center.
    — Talia Abbas, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Sunday marked the grand opening of the center's Community Baby Closet, which offers resources such as diapers, wipes, newborn clothing, baby gear and postpartum supplies.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • Iran’s economy was in a poor state before the war too, with dire economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • As the world has become less secure, Lagarde said on Wednesday, capital flows into Europe have been put at risk.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • The targets weren't oil refineries, maritime hubs or arms plants hit by other Ukrainian strikes, but warehouses that bring the convenience of online shopping across the breadth of Russia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • For the first time in almost a month, a large tanker last week began loading crude at the western terminal of Iran’s main export hub Kharg Island, Windward said.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • The popular theatre was a cultural mecca that drew thousands to its operas, ballets and other public events, and hosted legendary greats including Maria Callas and Franco Zeffirelli.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The long-standing problem is that Skid Row is both a social service center and a mecca of drugs and other vices, with traps on every block.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of mecca
Noun
  • The researchers used an experiment at RHIC called STAR (Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC) to pinpoint the baryon number’s transport between particles by looking at collisions of two heavy nuclei, ruthenium and zirconium.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These collisions will be used to examine how fundamental particles and forces produce the properties of protons, neutrons and nuclei.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of nucleus
Noun
  • The Moon enters Sagittarius and your 4th House of Home, Family, and Emotional Roots, pulling your focus toward rest, privacy, space, or household needs.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Initial plans were for natural gas generators that would create more emissions than the state’s two largest cities combined, which were a common point of focus for local critics.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of focus
Noun
  • Florida is ground zero for climate change, but politicians and the news media ignore the facts.
    — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Kathe Conlon, who is advocating for better 9/11 memorial care, helped search for victims on ground zero nearly 25 years ago.
    — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of ground zero
Noun
  • Earlier this year, a Supreme Court decision weakened a core provision of the Voting Rights Act, threatening Black political representation across the South.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray An enchanted portrait and a life of debauchery are at the core of this lavish literary horror by Oscar Wilde.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of core

Browse Nearby Words

nerve
nerve center
nerve centers
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Cite this Entry

“Nerve center.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve%20center. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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