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.
Everyone needs background noise for wrapping presents or something to zone out in front of after a big holiday meal, and the streamers know how to get the job done. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024 Everyone deserves the chance to zone out to neon blobs. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2024 In interrogation, the sisters might have remembered their father’s tactic: focus on a point in the wall and zone out. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024 Everyone has their own way of relieving stress, zoning out from the hassles of day-to-day life. Jim Clash, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near zone out

Cite this Entry

“Zone out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zone%20out. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on zone out

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