omphalos

noun

ˈäm(p)-fə-ˌläs How to pronounce omphalos (audio)
Definition of omphalosnext
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest during the Vietnam War the university's campus effectively became the area's omphalos for antiwar activity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 omphalos While the rest of the world was in its accustomed turmoil, the Press, for which Ireland was the omphalos of the universe, took scant notice. — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 In front of me was a black ovoid stone, known as the omphalos, set on the spot in Greek mythology where two eagles loosed by Zeus crossed paths at the earth’s nexus. — Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019 Zeus marked the spot with a stone called the omphalos (navel), to signify the location’s centrality. — National Geographic, 12 Mar. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omphalos
  1. center
  2. capital
  3. mecca
  4. hub
  5. nucleus
  6. navel
  7. locus
Noun
  • Neto bobbled the ball for an error, though, and Contreras crushed Johnson’s next pitch for his 20th homer, a 446-foot shot to left-center that left his bat at 112 mph and gave Boston a 5-3 lead.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The incident happened less than a week after another child was found dead inside a car at a Plantation early learning center last Monday.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • The fund will give Arada a new source of capital to fund its ambitions at a time when lenders and investors have become more cautious about Gulf real estate in the wake of the Iran war.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 July 2026
  • That capital is now tied down rather than being deployed for investment or expansion.
    — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • As one of the darkest spots in the lower 48, Grand Staircase-​Escalante is also a mecca for stargazers, with much of its acreage ranked as Bortle Class 1—​​meaning that on clear nights the Milky Way is bright enough to cast noticeable shadows and even appears to have three dimensions.
    — Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 25 June 2026
  • Catawba County, along with other parts of North Carolina, have become a mecca for data center construction as demand for AI tools has increased.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2026
Definition of mecca
Noun
  • Shenzhen already has a reputation as one of China's major technology hubs.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Deep Light is, of course, not the only hub for cinematographers and aspiring cinematographers online.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 4 July 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • Having earned a law degree from Harvard, Warsh joined the investment bank’s mergers and acquisitions department in 1995, the nucleus where negotiation meets financial expertise.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • From Hollywood to the Disney Channel and Coca-Cola to Levi’s, for much of the 20th century, America was the nucleus of pop culture.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 29 June 2026
Definition of nucleus
Noun
  • Hathaway was also seen in a bikini with a towel around her navel, and one of her trademark wetsuits that showed her growing stomach.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 June 2026
  • The deep, sustained umbilical connection that leaves a navel simply never forms.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Definition of navel
Noun
  • Two would be a major statement about the shifting locus of power in the women’s game.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 27 June 2026
  • The locus of leadership and impact shifted from the top to the entire organization.
    — Henry De Sio, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
Definition of locus

Browse Nearby Words

omphali
omphalos
on
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on omphalos

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about omphalos

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All