zero in on
Idioms-
Aim precisely at a target, as in They zeroed in on the last snipers . [c. 1940]
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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]
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Converge on, close in on, as in The children zeroed in on the electric train display . [Mid-1900s]
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.
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
“Breathe, zero in on your target, OK, now smooth …,” she said, hovering over one attendee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Season 3 “finally starts to zero in on what feels like it might be the show’s core story,” explains Slate’s Sam Adams.
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026
In those reports, senior living experts say to zero in on these metrics:
From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026
I focused my eyes away from inward prayer only to zero in on Lucy Raleigh, Miss Everyone Else, shopping at Korvettes with her mother.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
