centered

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Positioned in the middle of a space or exactly aligned with a central point or line.

   Grammar: Often used after a verb: the title is centered, or before a noun: a centered image.

   Patterns

   • centered on something
   • centered in something

   Make sure the photo is centered on the page.

   The vase looked best centered on the table.

   Use a centered heading for the poster.

2. 2adjectivecomparableapproving

   Calm, steady and in good emotional balance, so that you are not easily upset.

   Grammar: Describes a person's state: she feels centered; a centered person.

   Patterns

   • feel centered

   After a short walk, I felt centered again.

   He seemed centered and unhurried even before the big presentation.

   A centered teacher keeps the class settled.

3. 3adjectivebefore a noun

   Having a particular thing as the main focus or core concern; usually joined to a word with a hyphen.

   Grammar: Appears with a hyphen as a combining form: a child-centered approach.

   Patterns

   • something-centered

   The school follows a student-centered approach.

   It is a family-centered clinic that welcomes parents at every visit.

   They designed a customer-centered website.

Common combinations

perfectly centered

The logo is perfectly centered at the top of the page.

feel centered

Yoga helps me feel centered when work is hectic.

centered text

Centered text is fine for invitations but tiring in long paragraphs.

stay centered

Try to stay centered when the conversation gets heated.

child-centered

The nursery has a child-centered philosophy.

Synonyms and how they differ

balanced

Balanced often describes a person's mind or an even arrangement, while centered more precisely means in the middle or grounded.

grounded

Grounded suggests being realistic and stable, whereas centered suggests inner calm and focus.

middle

Middle points to a position only, while centered adds the idea of exact alignment.

composed

Composed describes outward calm in a tense moment, and centered implies a deeper steadiness.

Opposites

Word family

center noun

The middle point or main place of something.

center verb

To place in the middle or make the main focus.

centering noun

The act of placing in the middle, or of calming the mind.

off-center adjective

Not exactly in the middle.

Commonly confused: centered or centred?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “centered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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