Synonyms of kernel

kernel

noun

ˈkər-nᵊl 

as in root

the central part or aspect of something under consideration

the kernel of your argument seems to be the inevitability of human migration into space

Synonyms & Similar Words

• root
• core
• essence
• heart
• meat
• point
• nucleus
• sum
• pith
• bottom line
• crux
• gist
• pivot
• sum and substance
• nub
• net
• keynote
• centerpiece
• meat and potatoes
• theme
• subject
• nubbin
• tenor
• bull's-eye
• the long and short
• content
• substance
• direction
• body
• course
• drift
• thesis
• hypothesis
• proposition
• purport

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of kernel

The grain is smaller than wheat, for example, and farmers and researchers still are finding the best ways to adapt farm equipment so the kernel isn’t damaged during harvest. — Joshua A. Bickel, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

When the pressure is released, the mold then snaps up like a kernel of popcorn to the final size of a midsole, with the tiny holes expanding to the brand’s signature CloudTec pattern. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026

Harvesting too early on immature beds also affects the maturation of the rice kernels over time, officials said. — Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Testing fuel layer by layer TRISO, or tristructural isotropic fuel, uses a fuel kernel surrounded by multiple coating layers. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026