ground zero
noun
1
: the point directly above, below, or at which a nuclear explosion occurs
2
: the center or origin of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change
broadly
: center sense 2a
the party town that served as ground zero for those corporate … bashes —
Rich Eisen
Rich Eisen 3
: the very beginning : square one
Examples of ground zero in a Sentence
ground zero in the battle over immigration laws
a city that was once ground zero for the insurance industry
Recent Examples on the Web
The Cuckoo’s Nest/Zubie’s parking lot in Costa Mesa became ground zero for clashes between punks and cowboys.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 31 Aug. 2025
With its Black population reaching nearly 80 percent, Detroit is ground zero for this national injustice.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
While Gaines was ground zero, 32 outbreaks (defined as three or more related cases) were recorded across states by the CDC this year, as compared to 16 outbreaks in 2024.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
The redistricting battle is the latest ground zero in this ongoing partisan battle.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
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Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 31 Aug. 2025
With its Black population reaching nearly 80 percent, Detroit is ground zero for this national injustice.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
While Gaines was ground zero, 32 outbreaks (defined as three or more related cases) were recorded across states by the CDC this year, as compared to 16 outbreaks in 2024.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
The redistricting battle is the latest ground zero in this ongoing partisan battle.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20zero. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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