1
: containing or constituting a center
3
a
: situated at, in, or near the center
the central part of the state
b
: easily accessible from outlying districts
a central location for the new theater
4
a
: centrally placed and superseding separate scattered units
central heating
b
: controlling or directing local or branch activities
the central committee
5
: holding to a middle between extremes : moderate
6
: of, relating to, or comprising the brain and spinal cord
also
: originating within the central nervous system
central deafness
1
: a telephone exchange or operator
2
: a central office or bureau usually controlling others
weather central
3
: a center or hub for a specified activity or group
her house is party central
the family room becomes kid central
Examples of central in a Sentence
Adjective
The house has four rooms and a central chimney.
City planners are looking for a central location for the new hospital.
The evidence was central to the defense's case.
The country's schools are financed by both local and central governments.
The central authority of the company's board is being challenged.
Noun
Our family room becomes kid central on weekends.
a health club that has become dating central for singles in the area
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
In central North Carolina, forecasters expected heat index values up to 115 degrees.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 24 June 2025
Qin Rao, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025
As the World Cup approaches, with Vancouver central to the country’s role in hosting it, the Whitecaps are mirroring Canada’s national team in more ways than one.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for central
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Adjective
The ministry emphasized the urgent need for peace and stability in the Middle East, and reiterated that the Palestinian issue remains central to resolving broader regional tensions.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
In central North Carolina, forecasters expected heat index values up to 115 degrees.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 24 June 2025
Noun
Furthermore, research shows that a deficiency in gut germs that produce butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid central to the health of the gut-brain axis) can cause fatigue.67
4.
—Qin Rao, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025
As the World Cup approaches, with Vancouver central to the country’s role in hosting it, the Whitecaps are mirroring Canada’s national team in more ways than one.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for central
Cite this Entry
“Central.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/central. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
central
adjective
cen·tral
ˈsen-trəl 
1
: of or concerning the centrum of a vertebra
2
a
: of, relating to, or comprising the brain and spinal cord
b
: originating within the central nervous system : caused by factors originating in the central nervous system
central precocious puberty
3
: affecting or involving the trunk of the body and especially the abdomen
central adiposity
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