zoom

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To move or travel very quickly, often with a loud engine sound.

   Grammar: No object; often used with adverbs like past, off, or through.

   Patterns

   • zoom past someone/something
   • zoom off
   • zoom through something

   The motorcycle zoomed past us on the highway.

   She zoomed off to catch the train before it left.

   The kids zoomed through their homework so they could play.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   To adjust a camera lens to make a distant object appear larger or smaller.

   Grammar: Can be used with an object (zoom the lens) or without (the camera zooms). Often followed by in or out.

   Patterns

   • zoom in on something
   • zoom out
   • zoom the camera

   The photographer zoomed in on the bird in the tree.

   You can zoom out to show more of the scene.

   He zoomed the lens to get a closer look at the stage.

3. 3verbintransitive

   To increase rapidly or rise sharply.

   Grammar: No object; often used with up or with words like prices, sales, or temperatures.

   Patterns

   • zoom up
   • prices zoom
   • sales zoom

   Housing prices have zoomed up in the last year.

   Online sales zoomed during the holiday season.

   The temperature zoomed to 40 degrees by noon.

4. 4nouncountable or uncountable

   The act or sound of moving very quickly, or the ability of a camera lens to change focus.

   Grammar: Countable when referring to a specific instance (a zoom), uncountable when referring to the feature (zoom).

   Patterns

   • a zoom lens
   • the zoom of the engine
   • with a zoom

   The car passed with a loud zoom.

   This camera has a powerful zoom for distant shots.

   She adjusted the zoom to get a better view.

Word forms

Common combinations

zoom in

The camera zoomed in on the actor's face.

zoom out

Zoom out to see the whole map.

zoom past

A cyclist zoomed past me.

zoom lens

He uses a zoom lens for wildlife photography.

zoom off

She zoomed off to the airport.

Synonyms and how they differ

speed

To move quickly, but without the suggestion of a loud engine or suddenness that zoom often has.

rush

To move or do something quickly, often because you are in a hurry; zoom is more about the fast motion itself.

dash

To run or move quickly for a short distance; zoom can be used for longer distances and vehicles.

Opposites

Word family

zoomer noun

A person or thing that zooms, or a camera with a zoom lens.

Commonly confused: zoom or room?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “zoom”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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