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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Cartwright had been staying in the mill overnight with employees and armed reservists from the Cumberland militia, one of many military units dispatched to centers of unrest.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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This is a small fraction of the power needed to support data centers.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On the other side of the Nile, which runs through the capital, Babakir Khalid, 2 months old, gasped for breath.—
Declan Walsh,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
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The pilot eventually managed to land the airplane outside Belize City after being forced to circle the airspace between northern Belize and the capital.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s no shortage of wealth moving to Frankfurt, either, with the German city capitalizing on London’s tarnished reputation as a money-making mecca since Brexit.—
Zoë Dare Hall,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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The Neales described the Smoke Freaks headquarters as a mecca for barbecuing, grilling and smoking with 24 different pieces of equipment, from a big Texas offset smoker to 55-gallon metal drums.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Charlotte City Council approved an $89 million plan in 2023 to build a new underground bus hub at the site of the current transit center.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2025
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The Cerrado is governed by much laxer environmental laws than the Amazon, and has become a major hub for soybean production.—
Sarah Sax,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Re-signing Bichette, who's eligible for free agency at the end of this season, would give Toronto a nucleus to build around for years.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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Previously, research has suggested the formation of the heaviest elements, such as gold, requires copious amounts of neutrons that atomic nuclei can absorb to become larger and larger.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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However, proponents believe navel pulling can offer all these benefits and enhance overall vitality.2 Much of this practice is rooted in Ayurveda, an alternative approach to medicine that has existed for thousands of years.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
26 Mar. 2025
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Today’s Wordle Etymology The word navel comes from Old English nafela, which traces back to Proto-Germanic nabōlą.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There’s also a pedestrian-only block called Pearl Street that will be a locus of activity.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2025
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One of the alleles at each locus is dominant and determines the traits, like coat color, portrayed in the dog.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Omphalos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omphalos. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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