centered

1. 1
   adjective

   Positioned at the middle point of something, equally distant from the edges.

   The centered headline drew the eye straight to the middle of the page.

   Designers often prefer a centered logo for a balanced, symmetrical look.

   Similarcentral, middle

   Oppositeoff-center

2. 2
   verbCanadaUS

   Simple past and past participle of center.

   The editor centered the title across the top of the page.

   They centered their argument on a single piece of evidence.

   Note

   One form serves two verbs. In the transitive verb, someone places a thing in the middle (she centered the photo). In the intransitive one, meaning to concentrate, it takes on: the talks centered on funding. The spelling is the one used in Canadian and US English. As a participle it also settles into the plain adjective, so a centered title may be an action's result or simply a description.

3. 3
   adjectiveCanadaUS

   Emotionally stable and calm, with a balanced, settled state of mind.

   A short walk each morning keeps her centered through stressful days.

   The coach seemed remarkably centered during the final minutes of the game.

   Similargrounded, balanced, calm, composed, stable

   Oppositeunsettled, frazzled, unbalanced

   Note

   A figurative use heard especially in Canadian and US English. A calm mind is pictured as one resting at its own middle, the inner counterpart of the positional meaning. It sits most naturally after verbs like feel, stay, keep and seem, as in staying centered under pressure. Unlike a headline, a person can be more or less so: more centered, most centered.

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