zero in

[ˈzɪroʊ ɪn]
phrasal verb
focar em; concentrar-se em; mirar em
1. to aim or direct attention toward a specific target or goal
The detective zeroed in on the main suspect after finding new evidence.
O detetive concentrou-se no principal suspeito após encontrar novas provas.
2. to move or progress toward a specific point or location with precision
The missile zeroed in on its target with accuracy.
O míssil mirou no alvo com precisão.
3. to identify and focus on the most important or relevant aspect of something
She zeroed in on the key problem in the presentation.
Ela focou no problema chave da apresentação.
This phrasal verb originates from military terminology related to weapon targeting and aiming. In contemporary American English, it's widely used in business, detective work, and general communication to indicate focused attention. In Brazil, 'focar em' has become increasingly popular due to English influence, while more traditional speakers prefer 'concentrar-se em'.
NYC Slang
lock in on; hone in on; target
Synonyms / Sinônimos
focus onhone in onconcentrate ontargetaim atpinpointnarrow down
Antonyms / Antônimos
lose focusoverlookignoreneglectmisswander from

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
focar em; concentrar-se em; mirar em
Most commonly used across all regions of Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
focar em; mirar em
Colloquial usage, often with 'focar' being more prevalent
São Paulo
concentrar-se em; focar em
Business and professional contexts favor 'concentrar-se'
Portugal
focar-se em; concentrar-se em; apontar para
Portuguese Portuguese may use 'apontar para' in military contexts

Related Words

targetfocusconcentrateprecisionaimattentionobjective

Related Idioms & Phrases

zero in on the target
zero in on the problem
zero in on the details
get zeroed in
zero in and strike
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →