nerve center
Americannoun
-
a group of nerve cells closely connected with one another and acting together in the performance of some function.
-
a source of information, authority, action, etc..
The communications room is the nerve center of a battleship.
Etymology
Origin of nerve center
First recorded in 1865–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Located in Albany near the Canadian border, the New York State Capitol is the nerve center of the state government and contains both houses of the state's legislature.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
At the same time, Jordan has become a vital nerve center for U.S. forces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
They are building the nerve center of Abu Dhabi’s AI efforts, set to be packed with the latest U.S. chips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Cyber Command – the military nerve center for cybersecurity – partnered to launch what was initially called the Russia Small Group, a task force to guard U.S. election infrastructure against Russian interference.
From Salon ● May 21, 2026
There, on the front wall of the room that served as NASA’s nerve center, was a huge lighted map of the world.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
