variants
also nucleuses
1
as in centers
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
a college campus that was a nucleus of opposition to the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hearts
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the nucleus of the movement's methodology has always been passive resistance
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 nuclei
The data—which specifically trace the abundance of H3+, an ion made of three hydrogen nuclei—constitute the best-yet three-dimensional map of the planet’s upper atmosphere.
—
Lee Billings, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2026
Deciphering the unique infrared language these galactic nuclei speak.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
At that time, the universe was hot enough for quarks and gluons to move freely rather than being confined inside atomic nuclei.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Even though Earth’s atmosphere is sparse, it’s still made of atoms, and atoms have atomic nuclei.
—Big Think, 30 Jan. 2026
The Metabolic Nucleus Nearly all the different cell types in your body — liver cells, heart cells, skin cells, beta cells, and so on — contain the same genome in their nuclei.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
In its earliest days, the Universe was a hot, dense soup of subatomic particles, including hydrogen and helium nuclei, aka baryons.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025
While pulling matter in, some active galactic nuclei (AGN) release ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can reach nearby planets similarly to how the sun's radiation reaches Earth.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Lee Billings, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2026
Deciphering the unique infrared language these galactic nuclei speak.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
At that time, the universe was hot enough for quarks and gluons to move freely rather than being confined inside atomic nuclei.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Even though Earth’s atmosphere is sparse, it’s still made of atoms, and atoms have atomic nuclei.
—Big Think, 30 Jan. 2026
The Metabolic Nucleus Nearly all the different cell types in your body — liver cells, heart cells, skin cells, beta cells, and so on — contain the same genome in their nuclei.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
In its earliest days, the Universe was a hot, dense soup of subatomic particles, including hydrogen and helium nuclei, aka baryons.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025
While pulling matter in, some active galactic nuclei (AGN) release ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can reach nearby planets similarly to how the sun's radiation reaches Earth.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuclei
Noun
-
Literacy screenings are not typically conducted in medical settings, but several prominent pediatric care centers, including Boston Children's Hospital, promote early literacy resources to families in recognition of reading's importance for a child's development.—
MAKIYA SEMINERA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
This system can be used around airports, stadiums, power plants, water treatment centers, correctional facilities, borders and other critical infrastructure.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Themed around the concept of play, it was filled with prints of dices, playing cards and board games, which added to takes on tartan and argyle patterns and the duo’s go-to motifs, such as hearts and polka dots.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The loops and patterns this pair trades in don’t exactly have hearts, or cores.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For more than a decade, Gulf capitals urged de-escalation, arguing diplomacy was the only path to prevent Iran from targeting the wealthy cities and advanced energy infrastructure the region has spent trillions of dollars building.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
-
For policymakers in national capitals, energy security has become a primary phrase because of concerns that geopolitical disruption could hamper access to energy.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That’s especially the case in American urban cores, like Miami’s, that have seen an influx of wealth and rapid development, added Goldstone.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
For instance, not all red supergiants shed their outer layers as their cores contract to become yellow hypergiants.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This legislative session, Republicans and Democrats have both said electricity affordability was one of their focuses, and both the House and Senate passed House Bill 1002 to tackle that issue.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Others questioned Nabi’s main focuses while leading Coty, particularly the atypical tie-in with Orveda.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The away jersey features a white background with green horizontal lines inspired by the state’s agricultural roots and meant to reflect layered fields, according to the press release.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The adaptation retains traces of its literary roots—there are multiple nods to Nabokov, including a bakery named after Charlotte Haze, Lolita’s mother—but its bookishness is mostly window dressing.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.—
Karla Cripps,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The three major airlines that operate at those airports -- Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad -- typically have about 90,000 passengers per day crossing through those hubs and even more travelers headed to destinations in the Middle East, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.—
CARA RUBINSKY,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The cheesy duo of white cheddar and gruyere combine with crisp, salty bacon crumbles and sweet corn kernels for a flavor that's unmatched.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Blitz the kernels with herbs, garlic, and vinegar for a lush, creamy sauce without dairy.—
Chadwick Boyd,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nuclei.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuclei. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
