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
Silicon Valley makes California ground zero for the AI regulation debate: US Republicans have proposed banning states from regulating the technology for 10 years.
—
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 18 June 2025
The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025
Next season’s Eastern Conference will be ground zero of the NBA’s parity gambit, molded into the shape of competition the league set in motion over the past half-decade.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Kansas City isn’t exactly ground zero for Oklahoma City Thunder fandom, but the NBA team does have support in the area.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 18 June 2025
The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025
Next season’s Eastern Conference will be ground zero of the NBA’s parity gambit, molded into the shape of competition the league set in motion over the past half-decade.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Kansas City isn’t exactly ground zero for Oklahoma City Thunder fandom, but the NBA team does have support in the area.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground zero
Noun
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After parting with Daniel Jones last year, the front office has brought in veteran talent and youth to hold things down under center.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
-
Set in New Mexico during 2020, the movie centers on the fictional town of Eddington, which turns into a hotbed of bad feelings and controversy when awkward local sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) decides to run for mayor against popular progressive incumbent Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
As Russian troops slowly clawed back most of Kursk, attacks on Sumy – and its regional capital, Sumy city – increased.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
11 July 2025
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Ten of Liberia’s presidents were born in the U.S. Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, is named after James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president, who strongly supported the ACS.—
Oumou Fofana,
Essence,
11 July 2025
Noun
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And true to that mission, the stall has become a community hub, a place for conversation and for people to reconnect with books and literature.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
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For many years, Puerto Rico served as a hub of pharmaceutical manufacturing for the United States.—
Thomas J. Bollyky,
Foreign Affairs,
22 July 2025
Noun
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As Almeyda makes her journey towards this elusive mecca, both the idea of Palmares and Almeyda’s journey toward it feel like hallucinatory visions: Vibrantly conjured, indeed mythic in intention and impact.—
Irenosen Okojie
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
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By day, it’s known for its colorful murals and buzzing cafés, but by night, the district turns into a mecca for creative cocktails, late-night galleries and performances by world-class DJs.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The collection combines Wrangler’s denim and cowboy roots with State’s focus on functional design.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
22 July 2025
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Transitioning to the analysis phase, the focus shifts to evaluating your processes and IT landscape to identify areas for rationalization or optimization.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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This heady pick is grounded in pink pepper and sugar, laced with cashmere, and dries down to a soft vanilla-sandalwood base.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
15 July 2025
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This mechanical demand helps establish a more stable base of institutional investors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
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McLaurin would instantly become Allen's top target and perfectly augment the versatile Khalil Shakir and developing Keon Coleman to form the nucleus of a passing attack that has potential rate among the best in the league.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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In mid-March, while still in Gonzales with what would become the nucleus of the San Jacinto army, Sam Houston concluded that a retreat into deep East Texas provided his best chance of success.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
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We’d be better served, however, by understanding that at the core, both of these are fueled by and lead to dehumanization.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Before Peter Parker slung webs, before Hulk smashed, before there was Deadpool and Wolverine and Wakanda and mutants and infinity stones and cinematic universes — there was the core Four.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20zero. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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