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

The young boy’s biggest concern is staying out of the crosshairs of Calavera (Mauro Guzmán), the neighborhood bully who seems destined to follow the same path as his intimidating older brother, Felix (Cosmo Gonzalez). — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026

The title poem takes the reader into the crosshairs of war’s violence, exploding euphemistic descriptions of its horrors. — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 July 2026

As a high-ranking member of the soap’s shadowy World Securities Bureau (WSB), Z quickly found himself at the center of dangerous crosshairs. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026

The misstep immediately sparked backlash for cultural insensitivity and drew over 50 million views on Weibo—other Western brands, including H&M, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Burberry, and Gucci, have been caught in similar cultural crosshairs. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 29 June 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