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
Orange County has emerged as ground zero for fraud in the private-pay addiction treatment sphere — separate and distinct from the public programs, mind you — and the new law’s emphasis on housing and outside partnerships makes reformers nervous.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 11 June 2025
Newark airport has become ground zero for the issue through a confluence of events — events that haven’t actually happened at Newark airport.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
In Corpus Christi, Texas, which has been described as ground zero for Selena fandom, a bronze Selena statue has been recoated and the flowers at a Selena mural have been replaced to welcome fans ahead of the anniversary, according to Mario Gomez, a volunteer who takes care of Selena monuments.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2025
Nvidia is ground zero in the U.S.-China tech rivalry — its GPUs might just be the most valuable components in the AI arms race, and its position is increasingly shaped by policy, not just engineering.
—Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
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Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 11 June 2025
Newark airport has become ground zero for the issue through a confluence of events — events that haven’t actually happened at Newark airport.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
In Corpus Christi, Texas, which has been described as ground zero for Selena fandom, a bronze Selena statue has been recoated and the flowers at a Selena mural have been replaced to welcome fans ahead of the anniversary, according to Mario Gomez, a volunteer who takes care of Selena monuments.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2025
Nvidia is ground zero in the U.S.-China tech rivalry — its GPUs might just be the most valuable components in the AI arms race, and its position is increasingly shaped by policy, not just engineering.
—Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 28 May 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 18 Jun. 2025.
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