as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
during the Vietnam War the university's campus effectively became the area's omphalos for antiwar activity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of omphalos
In front of me was a black ovoid stone, known as the omphalos, set on the spot in Greek mythology where two eagles loosed by Zeus crossed paths at the earth’s nexus.
—
Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
While the temples have crumbled, seeing the omphalos gave me goose bumps, and left me awe-struck over Delphi’s sublime place in history.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
Zeus marked the spot with a stone called the omphalos (navel), to signify the location’s centrality.
—National Geographic, 12 Mar. 2019
Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
While the temples have crumbled, seeing the omphalos gave me goose bumps, and left me awe-struck over Delphi’s sublime place in history.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 9 July 2019
Zeus marked the spot with a stone called the omphalos (navel), to signify the location’s centrality.
—National Geographic, 12 Mar. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omphalos
Noun
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While most campaigns historically focused on physical infrastructure, many now include less visible priorities: legal clinics, policy centers, and public interest litigation units.—
Michelle Mbekeani,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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The spacious floor plan has a living room that’ll comfortably fit a couch, coffee table, entertainment center, and even a dining table for hosting.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
1 June 2025
Noun
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The capital region is just the tip of the iceberg, though.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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The Sacramento Bee 916-321-1040 Darrell Smith is The Sacramento Bee’s Equity Lab reporter covering issues important to the Black community and diverse voices in the capital region.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The work would do well in Palm Springs, the mecca of all things mid-century modern.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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Other common amenities include full kitchens, gas fireplaces, and oversized closets, large enough to store ski, snowboarding, and hiking gear, as this part of Wisconsin is a mecca for outdoor adventure.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Brian Trainer, who founded the Sacramento Spur Club in 2014, helped cement Zebra Club as a Tottenham fan hub.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
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This is a massive obstacle, as China is a major minerals processing hub.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Noun
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That includes atomic mass: lead has 82 protons in the nuclei of its atoms, while gold has 79.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
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The team reported that the LHC can produce up to 89,000 gold nuclei per second from lead-lead collisions.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Brand walked past them wearing all black, with a blazer over a pinstriped shirt unbuttoned to his navel, several necklaces and dark sunglasses.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
30 May 2025
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In Hollywood, naked navels were a no-no and specifically outlawed by the censorious Hays Code that policed the studios until 1968.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
Noun
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In fact, shadow is the locus where light, space, and the passage of time converge.—
Alessia Glaviano,
Vogue,
14 May 2025
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The Texas Hill Country AVA also serves as the locus of wine tourism in the state—as well as home base for much of the state’s wine production, despite its distance from the major growing region in the state, the Texas High Plains.—
Colleen C. Myles,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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