zero in on

Idioms  

1. Aim precisely at a target, as in They zeroed in on the last snipers . [c. 1940]

2. Direct one's attention to, concentrate or focus on, as in We must zero in on the exact combination of ingredients , or The whole class zeroed in on the new assignment . This usage transfers aiming a firearm to directing one's attention. [Mid-1900s]

3. Converge on, close in on, as in The children zeroed in on the electric train display . [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

“The number we’re talking about is so much less than before, so moving forward we’ll be able to zero in on what we’re going to go after. So the picture is starting to become clearer on what we’ll be targeting.”

From Los Angeles Times

Olivea Farm to Table, opened in 2023, earned a Michelin star in 2025 for its seasonal prix fixe menus, while at Lunario, Chef Sheyla Alvarado’s tasting menus zero in on ingredients from the restaurant’s farm.

From The Wall Street Journal

She is the master of an exclamation and can zero in on her complaints on a topic as wide as all men or as narrow as the decreased use of defibrillators in media.

From Los Angeles Times

Warner bankers privately have signaled to the interested parties that this round may not be the final flex, but they do anticipate that Monday’s bids will help them zero in on a preferred merger partner, according to people close to the process who were not authorized to comment.

From Los Angeles Times

To illustrate Nishio-san’s account of how she lost her family during World War II, animators Han and Vallade zero in on the dish she is cooking: Chopped vegetables fall into a pot like missiles, a gust of pot steam represents a fiery aftermath, rice under water shows how Nishio-san had to dig her way out of being buried alive.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• address
• design
• direct
• focus
• intend
• mean
• plan
• propose
• target
• try
• want