as in centers
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
Wall Street's undisputed status as the nerve center for the world of high finance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of nerve centers
The targets were not rocket launchers or weapons depots, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but the nerve centers of the organization — command rooms, intelligence headquarters and offices where Hezbollah commanders planned the next stage of the fight.
—
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
For many, including DeGrange, the watershed center is important to revitalizing the bucolic town, which has witnessed the closures of a restaurant and cafe that were previously nerve centers for the community.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
The hustle & bustle of being near stock, options & commodities exchanges and working in pristine buildings that were the nerve centers of American enterprise & entrepreneurship.
—Kenneth G. Winans, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
For many, including DeGrange, the watershed center is important to revitalizing the bucolic town, which has witnessed the closures of a restaurant and cafe that were previously nerve centers for the community.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
The hustle & bustle of being near stock, options & commodities exchanges and working in pristine buildings that were the nerve centers of American enterprise & entrepreneurship.
—Kenneth G. Winans, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve centers
Noun
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That includes homeless shelters, food pantries, group homes for those with developmental disabilities and substance abuse treatment centers, among others.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
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According to Israeli campaign group Peace Now, 2025 saw record settlement expansion, further isolating Palestinian population centers.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Climate politics may be stalled in some national capitals.—
Natalie Sum Yue Chung,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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Demonstrations were being held from Seoul, Sydney and Jakarta to many European capitals and cities across the United States.—
Sylvie Corbet,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
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While the travel-size bottles are not sold at major retailers, they could have been purchased at convenience stores or travel hubs, like airports or bodegas, between September 2024 and April 2026, the CPSC said.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
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Naoshima is one of several art hubs in Setouchi, an archipelago made up of thousands of islands scattered across the Seto Inland Sea.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
Noun
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With one day left to declare candidacy in the race for Los Angeles mayor, all eyes are on Rick Caruso, the billionaire developer behind outdoor shopping meccas like The Grove.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
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After all, the Moroccan city is one of the world's great shopping meccas.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Jet fuel combustion produces not just CO₂ but also soot particles that serve as the nuclei for contrail clouds—thin cirrus clouds that capture solar radiation.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
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Core players giving their squad a high baseline is always vital in the playoffs, and the Ducks finally have some chance at hanging with other teams’ nuclei thanks to Carlsson and Gauthier’s ongoing emergence.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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These same aging indicators didn’t show up in the comparison hearts.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
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Weird things happen to astronauts' hearts in microgravity.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Noun
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In its announcement Thursday, the Lucas has revealed the thematic compositions of the majority of these galleries, which range from focuses on specific artists to medium-specific hangs.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Running April 23-May 3, the Canary Islands event returns with more than 100 titles spanning competition, retrospectives, live-score screenings and special focuses.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nerve centers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve%20centers. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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