ground zero

American  

noun

1. the point on the surface of the earth or water directly below, directly above, or at which an atomic or hydrogen bomb explodes.

2. (sometimes initial capital letters) the site of the former World Trade Center in New York City, destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

3. Informal. the very beginning or most elementary level.

   Some of the students are starting from ground zero.

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ground zero British  

noun

1. a point on the surface of land or water at or directly above or below the centre of a nuclear explosion

2. a scene of great devastation

3. (sometimes capitals) the name given to the devastated site of the collapsed World Trade Center towers in New York after September 11 2001

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Etymology

Origin of ground zero

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

“BDCs are ground zero for value opportunity,” says Stephen O’Neill, portfolio manager at RiverNorth, a specialist in closed-end fund and BDC investments.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Nobody is exactly sure who originally coined the term, but ground zero, according to the internet historians at KnowYourMeme, might be a post made by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez one day before the inauguration.

From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026

Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness has described Black River as "ground zero" after sharing footage of the destruction there.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

MEMPHIS—For Elon Musk, ground zero of the artificial intelligence arms race is a 114-acre tract of grass and swamp on the state line of Tennessee and Mississippi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2025

A thirty-four-year-old physicist named Andrei Sakharov stood with scientists and Soviet officials on an outdoor platform about forty miles from ground zero.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• ambition
• aspiration
• intention
• purpose
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