Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, 3rd person singular presenttense zooms, present participle zooming, past tense, past participle zoomed
1. verb
If you zoom somewhere, you go there very quickly.
[informal]
We zoomed through the gallery. [VERB preposition/adverb]
A police car zoomed by very close to them. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: speed, shoot, fly, tear More Synonyms of zoom
2. verb
If prices or sales zoom, they increase greatly in a very short time.
The economy shrank and inflation zoomed. [VERB]
Profits zoomed from nil five years ago to about 16 million last year. [VERB]
Synonyms: rise, rocket, soar, escalate More Synonyms of zoom
3. countable noun
A zoom is the same as a zoom lens.
Phrasal verbs:
See zoom in
See zoom off
zoom in British English
(zuːm)
verb
1.
to make or cause to make a continuous buzzing or humming sound
2.
to move or cause to move with such a sound
3. (intransitive)
to move very rapidly; rush
we zoomed through town
4.
to cause (an aircraft) to climb briefly at an unusually steep angle, or (of an aircraft) to climb in this way
5. (intransitive)
(of prices) to rise rapidly
noun
6.
the sound or act of zooming
7. zoom lens
Word origin
C20: of imitative origin
zoom in American English
(zum)
verb intransitive
1.
to make a loud, low-pitched, buzzing or humming sound
2.
to move with a zooming sound
3.
to climb in an airplane suddenly and sharply at an angle greater than normal, using the energy of momentum
4.
to rise rapidly
prices zoomed
5.
to change the focal length of a zoom lens so as to change the apparent distance of the object being viewed
verb transitive
6.
to cause to zoom
noun
7.
the act of zooming
8.
a zooming sound
9.
zoom lens
10. Cinema
a.
the effect of a camera moving toward or away from a subject by using a zoom lens
b.
a shot using this effect
adjective
11.
equipped with or having to do with a zoom lens
a zoom telescope
Word origin
echoic
Examples of 'zoom' in a sentence
zoom
To fit the zoom lenses found on normal digital cameras into a phone would mean making it much thicker or having a bulge.
The Sun (2016)
It zoomed off after about five minutes.
The Sun (2011)
The car just zoomed on to the pavement behind us and hit them both.
The Sun (2014)
The camera zoomed in on my face.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Cosmos zoomed closer into his chosen spot in space.
The Sun (2014)
And a digital zoom cannot compete with a proper optical zoom.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
These cameras are now so powerful they can zoom in close enough to read a text on your mobile phone.
The Sun (2013)
But when it comes to fighting your opponents you can zoom in close to the action on a richly depicted battlefield.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Cars zoom around its test track.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The Astra zoomed past again and as the mirror clipped the boxes we all winced.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They zipped, zoomed and leapt about our overjoyed little group.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
For mile after mile, we zoomed past dizzying summits and breathtaking lakes.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It has a bank of high-definition flat screen monitors linked to cameras that can zoom in on a single face.
The Sun (2006)
Then one day she saw a flight of military planes zoom past, and thought that their vapour trails made a wonderful aerial drawing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
THE cost of running a car will zoom above 7,000 for the first time this year.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
zoom
British English: zoom VERB
If you zoom somewhere, you go there very quickly.
We zoomed through the gallery.
American English: zoom
Brazilian Portuguese: zunir
Chinese: 赶往
European Spanish: pasar volando
French: aller en trombe
German: sausen
Italian: schizzare
Japanese: 突っ走る
Korean: 재빨리 이동하다
European Portuguese: zunir
Latin American Spanish: pasar volando
Chinese translation of 'zoom'
zoom
(zuːm)
vi
to zoom past/along疾驰(馳)而过(過)/沿 ... 疾驰(馳) (jíchí ér guò/yán ... jíchí)
to zoom in (on sth/sb) (Phot, Cine) (对(對)准(準)某物/某人)拉近镜(鏡)头(頭) ((duìzhǔn mǒuwù/mǒurén) lājìn jìngtóu)
1 (verb)
Definition
to move very rapidly
A police car zoomed by.
Synonyms
speed
The engine noise rises only slightly as I speed along.
shoot
They had almost reached the boat when a figure shot past them.
fly
I flew downstairs.
tear
The door flew open and she tore into the room.
rush
Someone inside the building rushed out.
flash
Cars flashed by every few minutes.
dash
Suddenly she dashed out into the garden.
barrel (along) (informal, mainly US, Canadian)
buzz
A few tourists were buzzing around.
streak
A meteorite streaked across the sky.
hare (British, informal)
zip (informal)
My craft zipped along the bay.
whizz (informal)
A car whizzed past.
hurtle
A pretty young girl came hurtling down the stairs.
pelt
She pelted down the stairs in her nightgown.
burn rubber (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to increase or rise rapidly
The economy sank and inflation zoomed.
Synonyms
rise
We need to increase our charges in order to meet rising costs.
rocket
Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed sharply.
soar
soaring unemployment
escalate
shoot up
climb
Prices have climbed by 21% since the beginning of the year.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of buzz
Definition
to move around quickly and busily
A few tourists were buzzing around.
Synonyms
bustle,
tear,
rush,
stir,
dash,
hurry,
scramble,
fuss,
flutter,
beetle,
hasten,
scuttle,
scurry,
scamper
in the sense of climb
Definition
to increase in value or amount
Prices have climbed by 21% since the beginning of the year.
Synonyms
increase,
rise,
mount,
go up,
rocket,
soar,
escalate,
inflate,
shoot up,
snowball
in the sense of dash
Definition
to move hastily
Suddenly she dashed out into the garden.
Synonyms
rush,
run,
race,
shoot,
fly,
career,
speed,
spring,
tear,
bound,
hurry,
barrel (along) (informal),
sprint,
bolt,
dart,
hasten,
scurry,
haste,
stampede,
burn rubber (informal),
make haste,
hotfoot
Synonyms of 'zoom'
zoom
Explore 'zoom' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of flash
Definition
to move very fast
Cars flashed by every few minutes.
Synonyms
speed,
race,
shoot,
fly,
tear,
sweep,
dash,
barrel (along) (informal),
whistle,
sprint,
bolt,
streak,
dart,
zoom,
burn rubber (informal)
in the sense of fly
Definition
to move very quickly or suddenly
I flew downstairs.
Synonyms
rush,
race,
shoot,
career,
speed,
tear,
dash,
hurry,
barrel (along) (informal),
sprint,
bolt,
dart,
zoom,
hare (British, informal),
hasten,
whizz (informal),
scoot,
scamper,
burn rubber (informal),
be off like a shot (informal)
in the sense of hurtle
Definition
to move very quickly or violently
A pretty young girl came hurtling down the stairs.
Synonyms
rush,
charge,
race,
shoot,
fly,
speed,
tear,
crash,
plunge,
barrel (along) (informal),
scramble,
spurt,
stampede,
scoot,
burn rubber (informal),
rush headlong,
go hell for leather (informal)
in the sense of pelt
Definition
to hurry
She pelted down the stairs in her nightgown.
Synonyms
rush,
charge,
shoot,
career,
speed,
tear,
belt (slang),
dash,
hurry,
barrel (along) (informal),
whizz (informal),
stampede,
run fast,
burn rubber (informal)
in the sense of rocket
Definition
to increase rapidly
Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed sharply.
Synonyms
escalate,
rise,
soar,
spiral,
shoot up,
increase dramatically,
go through the roof
in the sense of rush
Definition
to move or do very quickly
Someone inside the building rushed out.
Synonyms
hurry,
run,
race,
shoot,
fly,
career,
speed,
tear,
dash,
sprint,
scramble,
bolt,
dart,
hasten,
scurry,
stampede,
lose no time,
make short work of,
burn rubber (informal),
make haste,
hotfoot
in the sense of shoot
Definition
to move very rapidly
They had almost reached the boat when a figure shot past them.
Synonyms
speed,
race,
rush,
charge,
fly,
spring,
tear,
flash,
dash,
barrel (along) (informal, US, Canadian),
bolt,
streak,
dart,
whisk,
whizz (informal),
hurtle,
scoot,
burn rubber (informal)
in the sense of soar
Definition
to rise or increase suddenly above the usual level