zero out
phrasal verb
zeroed out; zeroing out; zeroes out
US
1
: to reduce the amount of (something) to zero
Be sure to zero out the account before you switch banks.
2
: to remove (something) completely
This program will be zeroed out in the budget for next year.
New legislation will zero out further funding for the project.
Examples of zero out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, Congress is on track to approve $634 million for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research — compared to the budget proposal, which had zeroed out that office.
—
Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
The reversal came after near-universal condemnation from organizations across the mental health and addiction treatment field, which warned that suddenly zeroing out grants that had already been awarded would lead to layoffs, threaten patient care, or force them to close altogether.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 14 Jan. 2026
Relatedly, the administration has proposed to roll back vehicle fuel efficiency standards at the Transportation Department and zeroed out the penalties for violating the efficiency standards in the tax megabill.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 28 Dec. 2025
Thiel Macro zeroed out its stake worth nearly $94 million during the three-month period, regulatory fillings show.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zero out
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Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
The reversal came after near-universal condemnation from organizations across the mental health and addiction treatment field, which warned that suddenly zeroing out grants that had already been awarded would lead to layoffs, threaten patient care, or force them to close altogether.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 14 Jan. 2026
Relatedly, the administration has proposed to roll back vehicle fuel efficiency standards at the Transportation Department and zeroed out the penalties for violating the efficiency standards in the tax megabill.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 28 Dec. 2025
Thiel Macro zeroed out its stake worth nearly $94 million during the three-month period, regulatory fillings show.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zero out
Cite this Entry
“Zero out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero%20out. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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