crosshair

noun

cross·​hair ˈkrȯs-ˌher 

: a fine wire or thread in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument used as a reference line in the field or for marking the instrumental axis

—used figuratively to describe someone or something being targeted as if through an aiming device having crosshairs

The tactics landed the company's top brass in the crosshairs of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

—Houston Chronicle

Examples of crosshair in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bishop portrays Bruce Vinkour, a wealthy real estate developer Emi enlists for help when her father lands in RJ’s crosshair. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026

Still, Riyadh has not entirely avoided Iran’s crosshairs. —Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Through nine games, Casey Schmitt has seven starts and Jerar Encarnacion two, with each man charged with an error and Schmitt temporarily getting into the crosshairs of third baseman Matt Chapman for not catching a ball and contributing to a pair of unearned runs earlier this week. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq are most directly in Iran’s crosshairs, and most structurally dependent on the Strait remaining open. —Bobby Ghosh, Time, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crosshair

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

cross hair

noun

: one of the very thin wires or threads in the eyepiece of an optical instrument (as a microscope) used as a reference line