zero in on

phrasal verb

zeroed in on; zeroing in on; zeroes in on
1
: to direct all of one's attention to (someone or something)
Scientists are hoping to zero in on a cure.
2
: to aim something (such as a gun or camera) directly at (someone or something)
The gunner zeroed in on the target.

Examples of zero in on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Astronomical Paparazzi On a warm summer night in Massachusetts, astronomer William Bond carefully pointed the Harvard College Observatory’s 15-meter refracting telescope – called the Great Refractor – at the constellation Lyra, zeroing in on a bright star called Vega. Kiona N. Smith, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025 For the venue, Graydon zeroed in on Morton’s, the West Hollywood power restaurant popular with studio moguls and both of the powerful Michaels — Ovitz and Eisner — who loomed over the business at that time. Michael Grynbaum, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025 That is, until the cracks started showing with the collapse of SFX Entertainment, with the doc zeroing in on the impact of greed and social media on the genre and its adjacent culture. Katie Bain, Billboard, 14 July 2025 Johnson has zeroed in on encouraging housing construction to improve affordability as a key focus, and plans to upzone portions of Western Avenue have already in large part passed. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for zero in on

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Cite this Entry

“Zero in on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero%20in%20on. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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