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 also like zoning out in front of the living-room fireplace.

From The Wall Street Journal

I found myself zoning out in class, wondering what was happening to her.

From Literature

She said: "He was much calmer. He was zoned out. I would say he disassociated."

From BBC

Once his online classes are over, Luis zones out playing a first-person shooter game called "Half Life," often for five hours a day.

From Barron's

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

From The Wall Street Journal

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