ground zero

noun

1

: the point directly above, below, or at which an explosion and especially a nuclear explosion occurs

2

: the center or origin of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change

Mingo Junction … sits at ground zero of the longest steelworker strike in American history.

—Michael Janofsky

broadly : center sense 2a

… the party town that served as ground zero for those corporate … bashes.

—Rich Eisen

3

: the very beginning : square one

We'll have to go back to ground zero and start over.

Synonyms of ground zero

• center
• capital
• hub
• mecca
• focus
• base
• nucleus
• core
• seat
• nerve center
• heart

Examples of ground zero in a Sentence

ground zero in the battle over immigration laws

a city that was once ground zero for the insurance industry

Recent Examples on the Web

Strindberg, a prolific Swedish author who penned this work in 1900 as one of about 60, was ground zero for Scandinavian noir. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026

The bazaar was ground zero for the protests, which were sparked by the country’s dire economic situation and hyper-inflation. —Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026

There have been moments when Landfair contemplated moving away from Chicago, putting physical distance between a city that still openly supports Kelly and is ground zero for some of her most painful memories. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2026

Assemblymember Heather Hadwick — a Republican who represents El Dorado, as well as Lake Tahoe, which is ground zero for bear problems — called conflicts with predators her district’s biggest issue. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ground zero

• nonzero
• subzero
• biro
• spiro
• superhero

Kids Definition

ground zero

noun

1

: the site of a nuclear explosion

2

: the center of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change

3

: the very beginning : square one