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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ground zero
Strindberg, a prolific Swedish author who penned this work in 1900 as one of about 60, was ground zero for Scandinavian noir.
—
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
The bazaar was ground zero for the protests, which were sparked by the country’s dire economic situation and hyper-inflation.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Assemblymember Heather Hadwick — a Republican who represents El Dorado, as well as Lake Tahoe, which is ground zero for bear problems — called conflicts with predators her district’s biggest issue.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
The next protest is scheduled for March 28 in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, which has become ground zero for the administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
The bazaar was ground zero for the protests, which were sparked by the country’s dire economic situation and hyper-inflation.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Assemblymember Heather Hadwick — a Republican who represents El Dorado, as well as Lake Tahoe, which is ground zero for bear problems — called conflicts with predators her district’s biggest issue.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
The next protest is scheduled for March 28 in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, which has become ground zero for the administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground zero
Noun
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The Knicks were only without McBride, and Detroit was missing two key rotation pieces in centers Isaiah Stewart and Duren due to suspension.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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In the footage and images released by the FBI, the suspect appears to have a gun holstered near the center of his waist – an unusual position – and is seen wearing a backpack with reflective straps.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That decision came a month before jurors were set to be selected for the high-profile capital murder trial.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Feb. 2026
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Noel Hacegaba, who last month took the helm of the Port of Long Beach, has greenlit the largest capital-spending plan of any port in North America.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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Today, the city is a major hub for tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Airbnb.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At Sunin Plaza, the do-it-yourself PC mecca in Seoul, the usual weekday buzz has evaporated.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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At Sunin Plaza, the do-it-yourself PC mecca in Seoul, the usual weekday buzz has evaporated.—
Debby Wu,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Perhaps, it was posed to Doncic, the Lakers lost some focus on offense because of the complaints that led to the T’s.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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That was all well and good on the farm, where the focus is on player development, not winning.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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His party successfully capitalized on rising nationalism fueled by a deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia last year, economic woes and uncertainty over Thailand’s trade relationship with the United States, and built up a strong local support base.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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This recipe stands out from all the rest with brown butter’s toasty, nutty addition to the shortbread base and abundant fresh lemon juice, bringing all its aromatic tartness to every bite.—
Jennifer Anderson,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the new work, Milton and her colleagues examined the ratio of different isotopes—forms of atoms with differing numbers of uncharged neutrons in their nucleus—of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in maize cobs archaeologists had uncovered from the Chincha Valley.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
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Deciphering the unique infrared language these galactic nuclei speak.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Then, about four to five billion years later, our Sun will run out of hydrogen fuel in its core, evolving into a red giant.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
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For short-term rentals, check out the Historic District or find more affordable options in the Midtown area or other neighborhoods a little farther out from the city’s core.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20zero. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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