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
Synonyms
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 church, about 500 yards from ground zero and near the Nagasaki Peace Park, is widely seen as a symbol of hope and peace, as its bell tower and some statues survived the nuclear bombing.
—Yuri Kageyama, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2025
After all, tourists from around the world pay to see sites like the Chernobyl in Ukraine, ground zero in New York City and former Nazi concentration camps in Poland.
—Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Experts say California is likely to be ground zero for Trump resistance over the next four years.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 9 Dec. 2024
The fourth largest county in the nation, Maricopa became ground zero for election denial conspiracists in recent years, after GOP lawmakers sanctioned a bogus recount in 2021, run by the Florida company Cyber Ninjas.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground zero 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Yuri Kageyama, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2025
After all, tourists from around the world pay to see sites like the Chernobyl in Ukraine, ground zero in New York City and former Nazi concentration camps in Poland.
—Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Experts say California is likely to be ground zero for Trump resistance over the next four years.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 9 Dec. 2024
The fourth largest county in the nation, Maricopa became ground zero for election denial conspiracists in recent years, after GOP lawmakers sanctioned a bogus recount in 2021, run by the Florida company Cyber Ninjas.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground zero
Dictionary Entries Near ground zero
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20zero. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share