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zero

[zeer-oh] / ˈzɪər oʊ /


Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for zero?
In math and more generally, something that has the value of zero can be described as null, as in null set and The value is null.  The word cipher was once used as another name for zero. Sometimes, the term goose egg is used as an informal way to refer to zero, especially in the context of a score, as in I scored a big ol’ goose egg on that round. Zero is commonly used in a general way to mean none or nothing. Synonyms for this sense of the word include nil, naught, nought, and aught. Sometimes the word no can be used to mean the same thing as zero, as in We lowered the price but we had no offers—and I mean zero offers.  More informal synonyms for zero in the sense of nothing include zip, zippo, zilch, nada (the Spanish word for “nothing”), diddly, and diddly-squat. The word zero can also be used as a verb meaning “to reduce to zero.” The verb phrase zero out is more commonly used, as in Zero out these totals.  Sometimes, the word zero is used to refer to a person considered completely insignificant, as in They went from zeroes to heroes. Similar words include nobody and loser, but calling someone (or yourself) any of these names is never a nice thing to say.
Where does zero come from?
The concept of zero is ancient, with recorded use dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. The word zero has been used in English since at least the 16th century. It comes from Italian, from the Medieval Latin word ​​zephirum, from the Arabic sifr, meaning “empty” or “zero.” The word cipher comes from this same Arabic root, which is a translation of the Sanskrit word śūnyā, meaning “empty.”
How do you use zero in a sentence?
Zero can be used as a noun, an adjective, and even a verb. Here are some examples of zero in a sentence:
  • Four minus four is zero. 
  • The temperature is expected to drop below zero.
  • If we don’t play, the chance of us winning is zero.
  • The school had a zero tolerance policy on bullying.
  • Please zero these columns by removing all the values.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

And finally, they react to the Japanese prime minister’s recent claim of sleeping zero to three hours a night.

From Slate Jul. 25, 2026

Back in May, traders in the futures market were acting as if the chance of a quarter point hike was close to zero.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 24, 2026

Fifty years later, those stakeholders have “absolutely zero consensus on whether theater should exist as a nonprofit performing arts field or whether we should exist at all,” Eustis said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 24, 2026

In cabinet, he served as home secretary, defence secretary, transport secretary, business secretary, energy secretary and net zero secretary.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2026

That’s way more than I have, seeing as I currently have zero dollars.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Users go to AI bots for everything from recipes to life and relationship advice, even forming one-sided platonic or romantic relationships with the ones and zeroes that make up this digital ether behind a screen.

From Salon Jun. 28, 2026

The concept of “Barista FIRE,” for instance, zeroes in on saving enough money to live off investments for most expenses, then taking a part-time job to cover the remaining costs.

From Barron's Jan. 10, 2026

The proposal zeroes in on the fact that many billionaires’ wealth is largely tied up in noncash investments, such as stock, bonds, property or art.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 2, 2026

Conventional computers operate using bits -- streams of electrical or optical pulses that represent ones or zeroes.

From Science Daily Dec. 23, 2025

That’s a 7 with 27 zeroes after it, or 7 billion billion billion atoms.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

If you’re not, you’ve got to use money, which is hard to get, whereas you get shares by typing zeros into a spreadsheet.

From Salon Jun. 22, 2026

It is an investment with "a whole bunch of zeros behind the dollars", he says - and one pharmaceutical companies so far have not seen as being profitable.

From BBC May 22, 2026

Those atoms serve as the core components of a quantum computer because they store qubits, which are the quantum equivalent of the zeros and ones used in traditional computing.

From Science Daily Feb. 2, 2026

But I don’t think zeros and ones are going to entirely ruin our lives.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 8, 2026

Unfortunately, the zeros of black holes—singularities—look like unlikely candidates in the short term.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

It’s all zeroed out because everything is complimentary.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 15, 2026

Investors zeroed in on United’s potentially fatter jet-fuel bill — the airline said it expects nearly $6 billion in additional fuel expenses for the year, based on crude prices as of Tuesday.

From MarketWatch Jul. 15, 2026

Regulators zeroed in on three potential areas of concern.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 12, 2026

In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, Di Maria says Van Gaal zeroed in on negatives in his game, never the positives, which led him to "hate" being at Old Trafford.

From BBC May 26, 2026

As usual, my eyes zeroed in on the pictures.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

But public health officials finally appear to be zeroing in on what’s causing it.

From Slate Jul. 17, 2026

Raman spent her time crisscrossing the city, going to dozens of events and zeroing in on renters and younger voters — groups she viewed as her base.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 9, 2026

That’s why we’re zeroing in on a handful of stocks.

From Barron's Apr. 13, 2026

The Chinese tech giant is zeroing in on making AI a key engine of growth, continuing to upgrade its Qwen model series and integrating it into its core ecosystem.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 19, 2026

Edna says when she sees me zeroing in above her eyes.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina




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