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
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Recent Examples of omphalos
While the temples have crumbled, seeing the omphalos gave me goose bumps, and left me awe-struck over Delphi’s sublime place in history.
—
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
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
Noun
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Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
With Sam Darnold under center, the Seahawks were third in points scored and eighth in yards gained.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The agreement emerged from a meeting between senior Russian and American military officials in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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At least 12 people have been killed after an explosion at a Shiite Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Friday, Punjab Police told CNN.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At Sunin Plaza, the do-it-yourself PC mecca in Seoul, the usual weekday buzz has evaporated.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
At Sunin Plaza, the do-it-yourself PC mecca in Seoul, the usual weekday buzz has evaporated.—
Debby Wu,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Soon after, the area became a hub with saloons, butchers, bakeries and department stores.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Natasha Sutherland is the executive director of Florida Watch, a nonprofit communications and research hub.—
Natasha Sutherland,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the new work, Milton and her colleagues examined the ratio of different isotopes—forms of atoms with differing numbers of uncharged neutrons in their nucleus—of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in maize cobs archaeologists had uncovered from the Chincha Valley.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
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Deciphering the unique infrared language these galactic nuclei speak.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Blisters or itchy red bumps around the navel that spread to other areas of the body (such as the abdomen, buttocks), a condition known as Pemphigoid gestationis.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
29 Jan. 2026
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Alessandra Rich designed Johnson's strapless black gown, which features an ultra plunging neckline, hip cutouts, a thigh-high slit skirt, and a bow embellishment at the navel.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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With LLMs, there is no such locus.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
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The barber chair, the locus of Sweeney’s revenge on the heartless cruelty of a Victorian London that wrecked his life, isn’t the elaborate contraption of other productions.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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