Definitions

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.

That will most certainly be a central question on the lips of those who will get to quiz Gates.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

TOKYO—Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda has been hospitalized and is expected to miss next week’s monetary policy meeting, the central bank said Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Jakarta also gained as the rupiah strengthened following a surprise rate hike by the Indonesian central bank.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

As M.M. evolves from sidekick to central character, he also begins to behave more like Butcher, forcing him to wrestle with the erosion of his idealistic principles.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

I had been invited to visit his clinic in the central plateau, in the village of Cange, called Zanmi Lasante.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Vocabulary lists containing central

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2

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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1

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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

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