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
Synonyms
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
A day after firing up a boisterous crowd at a Detroit Metro Airport hangar, Harris and Walz rallied UAW members at a Michigan union hall described as ground zero for last year’s auto strike against the Detroit Three and the subsequent contract ratification.
—The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024
Minnesota was ground zero for the George Floyd riots that rocked the country in 2020.
—Jeremy Lott, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Aug. 2024
More often associated with adults in Chewbacca costumes or sci-fi-movie actors showing up to sign autographs, the event this year was ground zero for the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024
The bill has established Sacramento as ground zero for the battle over government regulation of AI.
—Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground zero 
The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024
Minnesota was ground zero for the George Floyd riots that rocked the country in 2020.
—Jeremy Lott, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Aug. 2024
More often associated with adults in Chewbacca costumes or sci-fi-movie actors showing up to sign autographs, the event this year was ground zero for the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024
The bill has established Sacramento as ground zero for the battle over government regulation of AI.
—Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground zero
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ground zero.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ground zero
Cite this Entry
“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20zero. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share