zero in
Britishverb
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(often foll by on) to bring (a weapon) to bear (on a target), as while firing repeatedly
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informal to bring one's attention to bear (on a problem, etc)
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informal to converge (upon)
the police zeroed in on the site of the crime
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This would allow law enforcement to more easily zero in on actual criminal activity, while simultaneously raising tens of billions in revenue yearly to shrink the federal deficit.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
He used AI to connect his Google Calendar and heart rate data to zero in on a growth product manager at his company—“Claude said this guy is the prime suspect.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
After Netflix greenlit a two-hour finale instead, Oseman elected to zero in on her protagonists — not unlike her comics — rather than give each character their own, heavily condensed arc.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Dr Musgrove adds: "This scene is basically where Harold goes from hero in the first part to zero in the second part."
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The children chased one another until everyone was panting, the perfect moment for her to zero in on Johnsteve, who had the flag in hand—a rag from Mama’s sewing basket—and grab it from him.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
