zero hour
noun
1
a
: the hour at which a planned military operation is scheduled to start
b
: the time at which a usually significant or notable event is scheduled to take place
2
: a time when a vital decision or decisive change must be made
Examples of zero hour in a Sentence
we're at the zero hour, so someone has to make a decision
Recent Examples on the Web
The zero hour show begins at 1 p.m. ET and the main matches begin at 3 p.m. ET.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
The King video marked the zero hour for new forms of activism using cameras.
—Will Potter
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
She's stopped, however, when Derringer and Clarke burst in at the zero hour, giving impassioned speeches about the importance of the alliance.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 July 2025
The course will feature the same curriculum as other PE courses, East Aurora High School Principal Jennifer Mitchell said at a curriculum meeting in May, but will be offered during zero hour for the first time next year.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Fighting, however, continued up to the zero hour, with Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon far into the night.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 27 Nov. 2024
English learners can attend a specialized class for learning to speak and write can be accomplished with a before-school (zero hour) or after-school period.
—Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024
As the zero hour approached, the men fiddled with their automatic rifles while their leader, Habib Rahman Inqayad, scrambled to get the exact location of their target.
—Safiullah Padshah, New York Times, 17 June 2023
When zero hour arrived, on a muggy Thursday afternoon, her manner was one of resigned acquiescence.
—Ned Zeman, Outside, 14 Nov. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
The King video marked the zero hour for new forms of activism using cameras.
—Will Potter
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
She's stopped, however, when Derringer and Clarke burst in at the zero hour, giving impassioned speeches about the importance of the alliance.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 July 2025
The course will feature the same curriculum as other PE courses, East Aurora High School Principal Jennifer Mitchell said at a curriculum meeting in May, but will be offered during zero hour for the first time next year.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Fighting, however, continued up to the zero hour, with Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon far into the night.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 27 Nov. 2024
English learners can attend a specialized class for learning to speak and write can be accomplished with a before-school (zero hour) or after-school period.
—Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024
As the zero hour approached, the men fiddled with their automatic rifles while their leader, Habib Rahman Inqayad, scrambled to get the exact location of their target.
—Safiullah Padshah, New York Times, 17 June 2023
When zero hour arrived, on a muggy Thursday afternoon, her manner was one of resigned acquiescence.
—Ned Zeman, Outside, 14 Nov. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Zero hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero%20hour. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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