as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
a city that was once ground zero for the insurance industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ground zero
The coach has talked about going back to ground zero after such a successful season.
—
Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Florida is often called ground zero for climate impacts.
—Yoca Arditi-Rocha, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
And Marin County is ground zero for the Grateful Dead.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
California, and specifically the Bay Area, was ground zero for the craft beer movement with pioneering breweries like Anchor Brewing, New Albion, Triple Rock, Buffalo Bill’s, Sierra Nevada, Pete’s Wicked Ales, Lagunitas and Russian River.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Florida is often called ground zero for climate impacts.
—Yoca Arditi-Rocha, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
And Marin County is ground zero for the Grateful Dead.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
California, and specifically the Bay Area, was ground zero for the craft beer movement with pioneering breweries like Anchor Brewing, New Albion, Triple Rock, Buffalo Bill’s, Sierra Nevada, Pete’s Wicked Ales, Lagunitas and Russian River.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground zero
Noun
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The synagogue houses a preschool and family center, but officials said all 140 students and staff members were accounted for and safe, according to CNN and other media reports.—
Daniel Hunt
March 12,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Concerns center on Azizi’s ties to regional leaders and the scale of Nation Media’s operations, which employ hundreds of journalists across television, radio, and print in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania.—
Vivianne Wandera,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Intense airstrikes hit early Friday around Iran's capital, Tehran, as well as outlying areas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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More traditional and slower-paced than Japan’s capital, Tokyo, or its neighbor, Osaka, the city is truly breathtaking in a unique way; rich historic districts, centuries-old temples, and zen gardens stand in for sleek skyscrapers and neon lights.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Vogue,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
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Southwest Airlines is cutting service at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, effectively ceding ground to the two giants jockeying for dominance at the hub.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Each January, that stillness is interrupted by the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, transforming a quiet alpine town, Davos, into a mecca of power.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
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That’s why the famed Trout Lily Trail in the West Palisades section of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Atlanta has become a spring mecca for many of us wildflower lovers.—
Charles Seabrook,
AJC.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Innovative solutions could level up your life, side-by-side with focus and more cash flow.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
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While the focus of policymakers is shifting, the steps taken so far have been relatively measured.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And that’s why at the base of the structure is a looping opening meant to signify a half-open doorway.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Another is the location of the school -- next to the Revolutionary Guard base and close to barracks for a naval unit.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, molecules involved in regulating the genome must be ushered into the nucleus preferentially.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
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In the recent past, there have been a lot of those painful educational experiences for the franchise’s young nucleus.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The team found a major levoglucosan peak centered around 1128 CE, coinciding with a similar peak recorded from the Schwarzboden mire peat core, another important reservoir of atmospheric history sampled about 12 miles southeast of Weißseespitze.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2026
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That’s just core to my existence and my DNA.—
Claire Salinda,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20zero. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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