zone out

verb

zoned out; zoning out; zones out

intransitive verb

1
US, informal : to become oblivious to one's surroundings especially in order to relax
zone out in front of the TV
2
US, informal : to become unfocused or inattentive because of tiredness or boredom
Students began to zone out towards the end of the assembly.

Examples of zone out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Israeli government has insisted that Suwayda should be a demilitarized zone out of bounds to government forces. Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 19 July 2025 Apartments, in many areas, are zoned out of existence. Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025 The lion's mane mushroom extract helps smooth any sharp edges from the THC for a mellow Friday night buzz that's perfect for zoning out with a movie. Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Great for zoning out on the train, focus mode at work, or doing anything that vaguely resembles exercise. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for zone out

Word History

Etymology

of uncertain origin

Note: Attested slightly earlier is zoned "intoxicated." Zone out is perhaps in part by analogy with zone in, in part after space out, given the relative semantic proximity of space and zone. Note also that zoned is phonetically similar to zonked.

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of zone out was in 1970

Cite this Entry

“Zone out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zone%20out. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on zone out

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