zone in

verb

zoned in; zoning in; zones in

intransitive verb

US, informal

: to move toward or focus attention on an objective

—usually used with on

The children immediately zoned in on the bowl of candy.

We … brainstormed what new data points would be most useful. Because of our conversation, the research zoned in on precisely the right questions.

—Jeff Shiner

Word History

Etymology

Perhaps based on zone entry 2, though the sense recalls both the rhyming phrasal verb hone in and its putative source home in (on), as well as the phrasal verb zoom in—hence zone in could conceivably be a blend of hone in and zoom in. Compare zone out.

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above