Zero In On

Pronunciation: /ˈziːroʊ ɪn ɒn/

Definitions of zero in on

verb to focus or direct attention towards a specific target or goal

Example Sentences

A1 I zero in on my target when playing darts.

A2 The detective was able to zero in on the suspect's whereabouts.

B1 The marketing team needs to zero in on their target audience.

B2 The researchers zeroed in on a possible solution to the problem.

C1 The negotiator quickly zeroed in on the key issues at hand.

C2 The journalist zeroed in on the heart of the story, uncovering new details.

Examples of zero in on in a Sentence

formal The detective was able to zero in on the suspect's whereabouts.

informal I need to zero in on a good place to eat for dinner.

slang Let's zero in on the best spot to hang out tonight.

figurative She was able to zero in on the main idea of the book after a few chapters.

Grammatical Forms of zero in on

• past tense: zeroed in on
• plural: zero in on
• comparative: more zeroed in on
• superlative: most zeroed in on
• present tense: zero in on
• future tense: will zero in on
• perfect tense: have zeroed in on
• continuous tense: is zeroing in on
• singular: zeroes in on
• positive degree: zero in on
• infinitive: to zero in on
• gerund: zeroing in on
• participle: zeroed in on

Origin and Evolution of zero in on

First Known Use: 1940 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'zero in on' is believed to have originated from military terminology, specifically from the use of radar technology during World War II.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense to describe the act of directing radar towards a target, 'zero in on' has evolved to also mean focusing or honing in on a specific topic or objective with precision.