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

… in the crosshairs this political season

—J. H. Alter

Examples of crosshair in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verizon isn’t the first internet service provider to get caught in the labels’ crosshairs in the past several years. —Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2024

Not too much, though there are perhaps unintentional accessibility benefits from a crosshair that adapts to the background to maintain visibility. —PCMAG, 15 July 2024

The big picture: PBMs have been in the regulatory crosshairs in recent years, and the FTC is cranking up pressure as Congress looks at changing the way Medicare reimburses the companies and imposing new transparency requirements. —Tina Reed, Axios, 11 July 2024

Beryl is set to re-emerge into the Gulf of Mexico overnight and begin strengthening again on a track that puts most of the Texas coast in its crosshairs for a Monday hit. —Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1884, in the meaning defined above

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