1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the central theme of the book
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in middle
occupying a position equally distant from the ends or extremes
will hold the conference in the central part of the country in order to encourage delegates from both coasts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in moderate
avoiding major social change or extreme political ideas
with all of the attention being paid to the party's right and left wings, the vast central core has been largely ignored
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
a health club that has become dating central for singles in the area
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of central
Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The National Development and Reform Commission is a ministerial-level agency of the State Council and functions as a central economic planning and industrial policy body within the Chinese government.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Humrichous played three seasons of NAIA ball at Huntington University in north-central Indiana before transferring to Division I Evansville and later to Illinois.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for central
Adjective
The interior reconstruction, Spradlin explained, includes removing parts of the second floor to make way for a central atrium and climbing wall — a design that can be seen in aerial images of the building where an open space sits in the middle.
—Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The National Development and Reform Commission is a ministerial-level agency of the State Council and functions as a central economic planning and industrial policy body within the Chinese government.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
Attacks like these are part of a long-running cycle of violence in north-central Nigeria, where disputes over land and grazing between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities frequently escalate into deadly clashes.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Humrichous played three seasons of NAIA ball at Huntington University in north-central Indiana before transferring to Division I Evansville and later to Illinois.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for central
Recent Examples of Synonyms for central
Adjective
-
Three main risks should worry Congress, the courts and every American about the rapid rise of these markets.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Surges can sometimes indicate an underlying wiring issue or a problem with your main breaker.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When the Broncos cut Greenlaw, the 49ers wasted no time in bringing him back to pair with middle linebacker Fred Warner in hopes of reviving one of the NFL’s top linebacker tandems.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The middle innings are when things tend to get inefficient for Peralta.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lamont, a fiscal moderate, has been reluctant to support spending that would exceed the cap on a recurring basis and would prefer legislators pay for extra town aid by finding offsetting cuts elsewhere in the budget.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Kempthorne, a moderate Republican, was elected mayor of Boise in 1985 at age 34, and he was credited with revitalizing the downtown by securing an agreement to build a convention center and promoting other development.—
Gene Johnson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Downstairs, meanwhile, the finished basement could become a rec room, billiards room, or fitness center, with a large brick fireplace heating up the space.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
-
At the center are three siblings bound by the legacy their mother built and the unfinished business their father left behind.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
By reducing interfacial resistance and suppressing the growth of lithium dendrites, the technology addresses a primary mechanical barrier to the commercial use of lithium metal anodes.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
First District voters will choose a Republican candidate in the May 5 primary election.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shortly after the halfway mark, the movie morphs into something closer to an unofficial three-hander.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
14 Apr. 2026
-
As the crew made it to the halfway point between the Earth and the moon, NASA shared an update at midnight on April 4.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Crypto apps like Coinbase have begun to diversify into non-crypto assets, and more traditional retail finance apps like Robinhood have begun to dip their toes into areas like tokenized stocks.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
People are in the right conditions, so meetings are more meaningful than in a traditional market where everything is back-to-back.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The insurgents, who operate at ease, crossing borders and dominating much of the countryside in Mali and Burkina Faso, now feel emboldened to target capital cities.—
Ulf Laessing,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
And the cost for the pool’s ongoing repairs have delayed the Park District’s ability to do many other capital projects in the parks.—
Chuck Fieldman,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Central.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/central. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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