zero in on

verb

zeroed in on; zeroing in on; zeroes in on

1

: to direct all of one's attention to (someone or something)

Scientists are hoping to zero in on a cure.

2

: to aim something (such as a gun or camera) directly at (someone or something)

The gunner zeroed in on the target.

Examples of zero in on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For phase one of their project, Santoro, Lu, and Samorani zeroed in on a particular database managed by the Jeu de Paume in Paris. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 31 July 2026

Importantly, Piepzna-Samarasinha zeroes in on the work that BIPOC leaders have done to create Mad Pride, a movement that opposes the stigma of mental illness and celebrates neurodivergence as a cultural identity. — Chris Martin, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

This allowed the federal government to more easily zero in on a common culprit that had been consumed, which in turn helped identify the source of an outbreak, such as a specific farm, ranch or distributor. — Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

As of July 20, no source of the outbreak had been confirmed, but Michigan health officials were zeroing in on lettuce and salad greens as a possible source. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 20 July 2026

Rhymes for zero in on

• agamemnon
• automaton
• diencephalon
• panopticon
• phenomenon
• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon