zone out

Idioms  

1. Stop paying attention, dissociate oneself from a situation. Also, engage in a mindless activity. For example, When Felicia starts talking about her ailments and her friends' ailments, I totally zone out. This idiom also occurs in the passive, be zoned out. It originally alluded to narcotic intoxication and then was broadened to other kinds of dissociation. For a near synonym, see tune out, def. 2. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

I can peacefully zone out, knowing these people are qualified.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

"It's becoming much rarer to zone out and just let the mind wander, but that's when we think in ways that broaden our horizons," she said.

From BBC • May 7, 2025

“I just found it very enjoyable to zone out and have the right kind of music on and just sort of keep going,” Mark said.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2025

The third catch broke Irvin’s mark of 111, although it ended up being a turnover when he fumbled into the end zone out of bounds when Dallas was on the verge of a 14-3 lead.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 30, 2023

Did I zone out of that part of yesterday’s conversation?

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• lose consciousness
• pass out