Synonyms

zone out

Idioms

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]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

Knight said her favourite place in the city "just to zone out and just chill out" was Bantock Park.

From BBC • May 27, 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

I don’t listen to music or podcasts; I just zone out to the crunching of gravel beneath my feet.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2024

It’s like a war zone out here in the field.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023