Central Powers

American  

plural noun

1. (in World War I) Germany and Austria-Hungary, often with their allies Turkey and Bulgaria, as opposed to the Allies.

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Central Powers British  

plural noun

1. European history

   1. (before World War I) Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary after they were linked by the Triple Alliance in 1882

   2. (during World War I) Germany and Austria-Hungary, together with their allies Turkey and Bulgaria

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Central Powers Cultural  

1. Germany and its allies (Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) in World War I.

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Compare meaning

How does central-powers compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Allies vs. Central Powers

Example Sentences

The empire entered World War I on the side of Germany and the central powers that were defeated, leading to its breakup and the rise of the modern Turkish republic.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2021

He’s fond of the word “subsidiarity,” meaning governance should be handled locally rather than by central powers, such as Sacramento.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2017

The clash opens a window on the modern presidency and one of the central powers of the chief executive in the American system of government: the right to block legislation approved by Congress.

From Washington Times • Dec. 27, 2016

Out of the wreck of the central powers and the Russian Empire, new states were created, Poland and the Baltic States among them.

From Time Magazine Archive

Replying to this the central powers would always point to Russia.

From The World War and What was Behind It Or, the Story of the Map of Europe by Bénézet, Louis Paul