Synonyms of central

central 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsen-trəl 

1

as in main

coming before all others in importance

the central theme of the book

Synonyms & Similar Words

• main
• primary
• predominant
• highest
• dominant
• greatest
• big
• foremost
• key
• leading
• first
• principal
• chief
• supreme
• cardinal
• paramount
• overriding
• great
• capital
• prior
• primal
• sovereign
• premier
• master
• overbearing
• major
• number one
• top
• No. 1
• preeminent
• grand
• important
• outstanding
• arch
• distinguished
• overmastering
• sovran
• prestigious
• senior
• notable
• high-level
• numero uno
• eminent
• signal
• superior
• noteworthy
• stellar
• influential
• illustrious
• star
• significant
• mighty
• noble
• momentous
• famous
• unequalled
• incomparable
• unparalleled
• renowned
• famed
• unequaled
• celebrated
• unsurpassed
• matchless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• least
• last
• minor
• secondary
• unimportant
• slight
• trivial
• negligible
• insignificant
• subordinate
• inferior
• collateral
• inconsequential
• inconsiderable
• trifling
• subsidiary

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

• middle
• halfway
• medial
• intermediate
• median
• mid
• intermediary
• mediate
• medium
• midmost
• nearest
• equidistant
• inner
• innermost
• grey
• in-between
• borderline
• gray
• inmost
• betwixt and between

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extreme
• farthest
• outermost
• remotest
• furthest
• peripheral
• utmost
• outer
• furthermost
• farthermost
• outmost

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

• moderate
• traditional
• orthodox
• conventional
• neutral
• middle-of-the-road
• centrist
• rational
• reasonable
• nonrevolutionary
• sensible
• levelheaded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• radical
• revolutionary
• excessive
• ultra
• conservative
• extremist
• progressive
• liberal
• reactionary
• leftist
• rightist
• subversive
• fanatical
• exciting
• violent
• inflammatory
• provocative
• provoking
• revolutionist
• fanatic
• incendiary
• rabid
• dissenting
• inciting
• agitating
• fomenting
• instigating
• rabble-rousing

central

2 of 2

noun

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

• center
• capital
• hub
• mecca
• core
• focus
• heart
• base
• nucleus
• locus
• seat
• nexus
• axis
• epicenter
• headquarters
• ground zero
• nerve center
• navel
• playground
• omphalos
• cynosure
• where it's at
• eye
• essence
• hot spot
• hotbed
• attraction
• magnet
• hive
• kernel
• nub
• thick
• deep
• pith
• happy hunting ground
• quintessence
• playland
• soul
• polestar
• loadstone
• lodestone

Examples of central in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Even a biological epidemic, Gladwell’s central metaphor, doesn’t really lend itself to an easy story of transmission, or of consolidated immunity, either. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 27 Sep. 2024

Heavy rain is falling over portions of the central and southern Appalachians and the region can expect total rain accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, with isolated totals around 20 inches. —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Noun

McLaren chose supercar central for our drive in the Artura Spider, and the car certainly turned heads in the principality. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 16 June 2024

In addition to reinforcing its affiliates throughout the globe, al Qaeda central appears to be focused on leveraging an increasingly permissive environment in Afghanistan, where its long-standing ally the Afghan Taliban could gain political power. —Asfandyar Mir, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2020