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
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
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.
Asia is ground zero for subsea cable attacks, particularly around Taiwan. PC Magazine, 30 July 2025 Austin, Texas, was to be ground zero for the Tesla robotaxi, thanks to a highly liberal attitude by conservative lawmakers toward private companies experimenting on public roads there. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025 The company 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 The East African nation, rich in coltan (a mineral vital to tech manufacturing), becomes ground zero for a confrontation between capitalist greed and collective consciousness. Okla Jones, Essence, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ground zero

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ground zero was in 1946

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20zero. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

ground zero

noun
1
: the site of a nuclear explosion
2
: the center of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change
3
: the very beginning : square one

More from Merriam-Webster on ground zero

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