Thesaurus results for OMPHALOS

omphalos

noun

ˈäm(p)-fə-ˌläs

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of omphalos While the rest of the world was in its accustomed turmoil, the Press, for which Ireland was the omphalos of the universe, took scant notice. —

Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 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

But Patrick Mahomes, who tore his ACL last December, is ahead of schedule and will likely be under center when these two teams square off in early November.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
The tension spilled into election issues, including accusations that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized ballots in a voter‑fraud investigation, now at the center of a legal fight with the state attorney general.

— James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026