ground zero

noun

Definition of ground zeronext
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest a city that was once ground zero for the insurance industry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ground zero Topline Ancient Egypt’s former capital is about to become ground zero for the world’s eclipse chasers. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026 The Food and Drug Administration called out iceberg lettuce processed at a Taylor Farms facility in central Mexico as the likely ground zero for the waterborne parasite's recent spread. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 The public spotlight on what happened may have grown less intense, but the attention will again be turned to ground zero as people gather to read names and remember. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 Michigan is ground zero for cyclosporiasis, where more than 10,000 people have eaten something, likely lettuce, contaminated with microscopic pods containing Cyclospora parasites. — Pien Huang, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ground zero
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground zero
  1. center
  2. capital
  3. hub
  4. mecca
  5. focus
  6. base
  7. nucleus
  8. core
Noun
  • Patterson, who turns 27 on Tuesday, has experience at guard and center, and the 49ers needed a backup at both spots considering Toth’s lingering concussion symptoms.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These counties have no hospitals or birth centers providing obstetric care, and no obstetric clinician.
    — Kayley Corley, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • The bank expects power networks to account for roughly one-third of group profits by 2029, up from 23% in 2025, which would help cut capital costs.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This influences how capital is allocated, which capabilities are funded, what risks are accepted, and whether growth translates into sustainable cash flow and returns.
    — Kumar Rupesh, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • Days later, the governors of Texas and Pennsylvania – both of whom celebrated data center projects last year – announced new restrictions on the computing hubs.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Thanks to the Romanian government’s encouragement of IT, the country became something of an outsourcing hub, with a plentiful supply of engineers.
    — Roger Trapp, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • The barbecue mecca in Caldwell County is home to around 18,000 people and roughly a half-hour drive from south Austin, traffic depending.
    — Eleanor Dearman Updated August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The popular theatre was a cultural mecca that drew thousands to its operas, ballets and other public events, and hosted legendary greats including Maria Callas and Franco Zeffirelli.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of mecca
Noun
  • As anybody who has been camping knows, the flicker of bright flames against the darkness can be as much a visual distraction as a point of focus.
    — Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • More than 200 municipalities have adopted the Vision Zero approach, for instance, a public health focus on programs and environments that increase traffic safety for all ages.
    — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of focus
Noun
  • To do that, construction crews bolstered the temple’s thick granite walls with vertical cables running from the towers to its base.
    — Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Tend the base, honor the feeling, and let home support what comes next.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of base
Noun
  • Still, for the most part, the Sharks now have their nucleus together, with the biggest part, Celebrini, signed on for five more seasons after this one.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Sliman was an inspiring part of a nucleus that established the Union of Palestinian Artists, a union that organizationally became part of the Union of Arab Artists.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of nucleus
Noun
  • At its core, Vermejo is a conservation laboratory developing the blueprint for rewilding in North America—the tourism element simply helps to fund it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
  • To create objects with collapsibility as a core feature, Toyonaga’s team devised an analytic design algorithm allowing incremental construction of complex scissored surfaces.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of core

Browse Nearby Words

groundworks
ground zero
ground zeros
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Cite this Entry

“Ground zero.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20zero. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ground zero

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ground zero

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