centering around

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "centering around" is a perfectly acceptable usage in written English.
You can use it as a way to describe an event, action, or concept as being focused or having an emphasis on one particular thing. For example, "The movie's plot centered around the story of two lovers".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Results are craggy, irregular panels often centering around skeletal fish shapes.

Los Angeles Times

It's mainly used in essays, especially ones centering around complicated topics.

WikiHow

The story is a series of vignettes centering around these three themes.

The New Yorker

Her story is told in flashbacks centering around the vibrant, courageous young Anastacia (Agatha Oliveira).

The New York Times

Golden State play an uptempo game centering around the prolific and efficient three-point shooting of Curry and Klay Thompson.

The Guardian - Sport

Each covariate was standardized prior to model fitting by centering around the mean and dividing by the standard deviation.

Nature

The repertory will be performed in three mini-festivals centering around music by European, American and Russian composers.

The New York Times - Arts

His performance kicks off the first Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival, centering around this up-and-coming club.

The New York Times

Our implementation uses a combination of different algorithms, mostly centering around computing the Faddeeva function w z).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Provinces of Night" is a character-rich story centering around a craggy old man and his spawn, who wreck and ruin the world around them.

The New York Times - Books

During his careers, Mr. Thompson was very active in many professional and academic organizations, his contributions centering around committee participation and directorships.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "centering around", ensure that the subject it refers to is clearly defined and easily understood by the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "centering around" when a literal central point is needed. For instance, don't say "The chairs were centering around the table" if you mean "The chairs were placed around the table."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "centering around" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying verbs and nouns to indicate a central topic or focus. As Ludwig AI points out, it describes something as being focused or having an emphasis on a particular thing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

23%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Reference

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "centering around" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that indicates a main focus or theme. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is perfectly acceptable in written English. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science contexts, its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse communication scenarios. Alternative phrases like "revolving around" or "focusing on" can be used for variety. Remember to use it to clearly communicate the central topic, avoiding literal interpretations of 'center'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

revolving around

Uses a different verb to indicate the central theme, emphasizing the cyclical or iterative nature of the focus.

focusing on

Directly states the act of concentrating on a specific subject, removing the spatial metaphor.

concentrating on

Similar to focusing on, but implies a more intensive and deliberate effort to direct attention.

pertaining to

Indicates relevance or connection to a specific topic, suggesting a broader scope of related subjects.

dealing with

Suggests handling or addressing a particular issue, often implying a problem-solving or analytical approach.

concerning itself with

A more formal alternative, indicating a specific interest or preoccupation with a topic.

addressing the issue of

Highlights the act of directly tackling a specific problem or subject, emphasizing its importance.

related to

Indicates a connection or association with a specific subject, suggesting a less direct focus.

based on

Highlights the foundation or origin of something, indicating that the focus is derived from a particular source.

hinging on

Suggests that the outcome or success of something depends on a specific point or element, emphasizing its critical importance.

FAQs

How can I use "centering around" in a sentence?

Use "centering around" to indicate the main focus or theme of something. For example, "The discussion is "centering around" economic policy."

What are some alternatives to "centering around"?

You can use phrases like "revolving around", "focusing on", or "concentrating on" as alternatives to "centering around".

Is it correct to say "centring around"?

"Centring around" is a variant spelling using British English, while "centering around" is the standard spelling in American English. Both are grammatically correct, but choose the spelling consistent with your audience.

What is the difference between "centering around" and "focusing on"?

"Centering around" implies that something is organized or structured with a central point. "Focusing on", by contrast, simply indicates a concentration of attention or effort on a specific subject.