central

[sen-truhl] / ˈsɛn trəl /

ADJECTIVE

main, principal; in the middle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basic essential fundamental important key paramount pivotal significant

STRONG

cardinal center chief dominant interior intermediate leading master mean median middle midway primary prime radical ruling salient umbilical

WEAK

axial centric centroidal equidistant focal foremost inmost inner mid middlemost midmost nuclear omphalic outstanding overriding predominant

Antonyms

STRONGEST

additional auxiliary extra inessential insignificant minor nonessential secondary trivial unimportant unsubstantial

STRONG

exterior extreme inferior outer outside subordinate

WEAK

peripheral

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Government officials admit the uniting theme here is their central campaign issue: the cost of living.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

"No one believes in these fairytales anymore," Yevgeniy Lamakh, an IT specialist, told AFP in central Kyiv.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

ANZ projects that the central bank will slightly increase the slope of its policy band, while leaving its other policy levers untouched.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

A central steel core holds together 90 segments — “slices of cheese” as O’Mahony called them — that repeat all the way to the top.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

At his desk, Ellsberg read cables from General Westmoreland warning that communist forces were close to cutting the country in two along the central highlands.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Vocabulary lists containing central

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2

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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1

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