✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

in the crosshairs

idiom

: being aimed at by a gun (such as a rifle) that has an aiming device with crosshairs
often used figuratively
The senator's voting record was in the crosshairs of his political rivals.

Examples of in the crosshairs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the same time, green card holders and applicants have increasingly been caught in the crosshairs of the administration's broader enforcement push as the government moves to carry out large-scale deportations of immigrants without legal status. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025 Right now, the Great Lakes is in the crosshairs of interacting systems that contain just the right ingredients. Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 25 Nov. 2025 In recent months, authorities say, multiple Florida teenagers allegedly conducted searches on ChatGPT that led to them being in the crosshairs of law enforcement or facing criminal charges. Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025 As King Charles and Prince William attempt to do damage control over their decision to still associate with Andrew, his immediate family is also in the crosshairs. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the crosshairs

Cite this Entry

“In the crosshairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20crosshairs. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!