crosshair

noun

cross·hair ˈkrȯs-ˌher

: a fine wire or thread in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument used as a reference line in the field or for marking the instrumental axis

—used figuratively to describe someone or something being targeted as if through an aiming device having crosshairs

… in the crosshairs this political season—

J. H. Alter

Examples of crosshair in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In addition to riling the MPAA, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s lurid, controversial title would end up putting it directly into the crosshairs of the nation’s squeamish and easily offended critics. —

Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024 Conclusion Whether using deepfakes or simply making a phone call, cybercriminals have increasingly put service desks in their crosshairs. —

Michael Engle, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Within years, mothers found themselves squarely within the crosshairs of Nixon’s war, too. —

Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2024 The latest method of voting to fall into the political crosshairs is the way overseas voters — including members of the military stationed abroad — cast their ballots. —

Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crosshair

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crosshair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.