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
Sam Woodward More than two decades after the 9/11 attacks, first responders and survivors alike are still fighting for access to studies and treatments as so many continue to die from toxic exposures at ground zero.
—Sam Woodward, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Decision-Making While all functions are being reshaped by AI, decision-making is ground zero.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Scotland has been a kind of ground zero for restrictions on free speech rights for the pro-life community.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sam Woodward, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Decision-Making While all functions are being reshaped by AI, decision-making is ground zero.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Scotland has been a kind of ground zero for restrictions on free speech rights for the pro-life community.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
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
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 16 Sep. 2025.
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