SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
kernel
noun
The central or most important part of an idea or matter.
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Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Read this word in Dave's Corner
The Orchard With Two Front Doors · paragraph 3The central or most important part of an idea or matter.
Closest synonyms
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See kernel in use
Beneath the long complaint was a kernel of doubt about who held the key.
One child found the kernel of a better plan.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license