zero in on — focus precisely (on something)
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
to give all your attention to a particular person, subject, or problem, especially in order to deal with it more effectively or accurately
Say it like a native
Textbook Investigators concentrated their attention precisely on one suspect.
Native Investigators zeroed in on one suspect.
'Zero in on' is the natural verb for narrowing focus precisely; the formal version is heavy.
Pattern: zero in on + noun/pronoun
In use
- The research team zeroed in on the main cause of the problem after weeks of testing.work
- In my opinion, if governments want to improve public health, they should zero in on reducing sugar consumption rather than just promoting exercise.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ They zeroed in one mistake.
✓ They zeroed in on one mistake.
'Zero in ON' something — don't drop 'on'.
Common collocations
zero in on + target— the problem, one suspect, the key issue, the cause
Don't confuse it
Unlike the more general 'focus on', 'zero in on' emphasizes targeting something with precision, often after a process of elimination.