Meaning & use
a community center
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A building where people from a local area meet for social, educational, or recreational activities.
Grammar: Countable: a community center, two community centers. Often used with 'at' or 'in': at the community center.
Patterns
- at the community center
- a community center for someone
- run a community center
The new community center offers free English classes on Tuesdays.
They held the neighborhood meeting at the community center on Main Street.
The old community center was rebuilt after the storm damaged its roof.
Word forms
| plural | community centers |
|---|
Common combinations
- local community center
- The local community center runs a food bank every Friday.
- at the community center
- Yoga classes are held at the community center.
- community center program
- She signed up for a community center program for young parents.
- open a community center
- The charity plans to open a community center in the spring.
Synonyms and how they differ
- community hall
- A similar building, but often smaller and used mainly for meetings and parties rather than regular classes.
- youth center
- A place specifically for young people; a community center serves all ages.
Word family
- community noun
- The people living in one area, or a group with something in common.
Commonly confused: a community center or shopping center?
a community center vs shopping center
A shopping center is a group of shops; a community center is a place for local activities and services.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'community center' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A community center is a building for local social and educational activities, so option 2 fits. Option 1 describes a shop, option 3 is confusing because a community center is not usually a corporate law office, and option 4 is simply wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a community center”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.