in the crosshairs
idiom
: being aimed at by a gun (such as a rifle) that has an aiming device with crosshairs
—often used figuratively
The senator's voting record was in the crosshairs of his political rivals.
Examples of in the crosshairs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cast adrift from mainland Italy, the Mediterranean's largest island has been caught in the crosshairs of civilizations for centuries.
—
Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
The civilian group has often found itself in the crosshairs of the city’s combative politics, facing accusations that its commissioners are either too cynical or overly lenient toward the police.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
The outspoken auteur, considered one of Iranian cinema’s greatest living masters, is still in the crosshairs of the government known as the Islamic Republic of Iran.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Government response— The fact that what was once a mainstream social media platform is now perhaps the biggest digital spreader of nonconsensual explicit imagery has put Musk in the crosshairs of governments across the world.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“In the crosshairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20crosshairs. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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