# zero in

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/zero-in
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To converge (on).

## Examples

- The dogs zero in on the treat in my hand.
- The hungry birds zero in on the seeds in the garden.
- You should zero in on the most important task today.
- As the deadline approached, the team zeroed in on fixing the most serious bugs first.
- After looking at many different houses, the couple finally zeroed in on a small apartment near the city center.
- During the meeting, the manager asked everyone to zero in on the main reason why sales dropped last month.
- While scanning the crowded airport terminal, the traveler finally zeroed in on his brother waiting near the exit with a large sign.
- With the evidence mounting, the detective's attention zeroed in on the quiet neighbor who had seemed so helpful at first.

## Origin

The phrase possibly comes from adjusting a sighting mechanism of a firearm to minimise the discrepancy between where the sight points and where a bullet lands on a target. Another possible source is the Cartesian coordinate system in mathematics. In the coordinate system, points are defined relative to an origin (point of reference) labeled O, which has an (x,y) coordinate pair of (0,0). (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.