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

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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 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
  • The exchange came as Kyiv pressed its campaign against Russian infrastructure, with a drone attack on Sunday shutting down a data center in the city of Vladimir, east of Moscow, run by technology giant Yandex.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Mentions of data centers have, predictably, shot up across all three networks in recent months as political backlash against AI swells and the data centers themselves have become a salient issue ahead of the midterms.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • In 2027 the film festival also joins Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival in celebrating eight decades of creativity and bringing audiences together in the Scottish capital.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • As one of the principal gateways into the Saudi capital and a foundation stone of the entire Vision 2030 project, the Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s airport directly threaten the Kingdom’s strategy.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • Rubin’s face followed a skin-first technique beloved by the wider beauty mecca for the last few years.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Named for the massive cliffs that stretch across 32 miles of shoreline, Calvert Cliffs is also a mecca for fossil hunters.
    — Katie Riley, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of mecca
Noun
  • Numerous international versions of the survival competition format can be filmed at the hub, which is based in the wilderness of Lake Kenyir replete with jaguars and pythons.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Over the years, the store has evolved into an informal community hub where customers gather, exchange news and help one another navigate life in Colorado.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • Is an individual even a network, or is an individual just a genome, tiny little nuclei floating inside this tube?
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Jets of dust were expelled from the nucleus with explosive intensity.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of nucleus
Noun
  • The cut reaches right at the navel, offering structure to your waist and belly without hiking up to your ribcage.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Predictably, this set off a furious round of acrimonious criticism, know-it-all navel-gazing, and schadenfreude.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of navel
Noun
  • The Valley has, for many people who live there, gone from a white-collar paradise to a locus of high-stress workaholism and unaffordability.
    — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • There are just fewer children that reside here, and that is not in our locus of control.
    — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of locus

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Cite this Entry

“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on omphalos

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about omphalos

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