zero in on

phrasal verb

zeroed in on; zeroing in on; zeroes in on

1

: to direct all of one's attention to (someone or something)

Scientists are hoping to zero in on a cure.

2

: to aim something (such as a gun or camera) directly at (someone or something)

The gunner zeroed in on the target.

Examples of zero in on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The woman zeroed in on reports that DOGE employees had gained access to sensitive databases at federal agencies. —Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2025

Within hours of O’Keefe’s death, Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor had already zeroed in on a suspect: Read. —Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025

The costume designer zeroed in on giving the spooky followers matching looks that were all about rigid uniformity—all designed in varying shades of indigo. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2025

The $165 million PUNCH mission, by contrast, was constructed to literally zero in on the sun. —Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for zero in on

• agamemnon
• automaton
• diencephalon
• panopticon
• phenomenon
• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon