zone

American  

[zohn] / zoʊn /

noun

zones plural

1. any continuous area that differs in some respect, or is distinguished for some purpose, from adjoining areas, or within which certain distinctive circumstances exist or are established: The temperature lies outside the danger zone.

   The decisions were formulated in a zone of uncertainty.

   The temperature lies outside the danger zone.

   Synonyms:

   region

2. Geography. any of five great divisions of the earth's surface, bounded by lines parallel to the equator and named according to the prevailing temperature.

3. Biogeography. an area characterized by a particular set of organisms, whose presence is determined by environmental conditions, as an altitudinal belt on a mountain.

4. Geology. a horizon.

5. Geometry. a part of the surface of a sphere included between two parallel planes.

6. a specific district, area, etc., within which a uniform charge is made for transportation, mail delivery, or other service.

7. the total number of available railroad terminals within a given circumference around a given shipping center.

8. an area or district in a city or town under special restrictions as to the type, size, purpose, etc., of existing or proposed buildings.

9. time zone.

10. Also called postal delivery zone.  (in the U.S. postal system) any of the numbered districts into which a city or metropolitan area was formerly divided for expediting the sorting and delivery of mail.

11. Sports. a particular portion of a playing area.

    The wing was trapped with the puck in his own defensive zone.

12. Informal. the zone, a state of intense concentration and focus that greatly improves a person's performance in a physical or mental activity, especially in sports.

    He has a great golf swing, but he needs to be in the zone.

13. Archaic. a girdle or belt; cincture.

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verb (used with object)

zones, present (3rd person singular) zoned, past participle, past zoning present participle

1. to mark with zones or bands.

2. to divide into zones, tracts, areas, etc., as according to existing characteristics or as distinguished for some purpose.

3. to divide (a city, town, neighborhood, etc.) into areas subject to special restrictions on any existing or proposed buildings.

4. to encircle or surround with a zone, girdle, belt, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   band, gird

verb (used without object)

zones, present (3rd person singular) zoned, past participle, past zoning present participle

1. to be formed into zones.

verb phrase

1. zone out to become inattentive or dazed.

   I must have zoned out toward the end of the lecture.

zone British  

/ zəʊn /

noun

1. a region, area, or section characterized by some distinctive feature or quality

2. a sphere of thought, disagreement, argument, etc

3. an area subject to a particular political, military, or government function, use, or jurisdiction

   a demilitarized zone

4. (often capital) geography one of the divisions of the earth's surface, esp divided into latitudinal belts according to temperature See Torrid Zone Frigid Zone Temperate Zone

5. geology a distinctive layer or region of rock, characterized by particular fossils ( zone fossils ), metamorphism, structural deformity, etc

6. ecology an area, esp a belt of land, having a particular flora and fauna determined by the prevailing environmental conditions

7. maths a portion of a sphere between two parallel planes intersecting the sphere

8. sport

   1. a mental state that enables a competitor to perform to the best of his or her ability

      Hingis is in the zone at the moment

   2. (modifier) of or relating to competitive performance that depends on the mood or state of mind of the participant

      a zone player

9. archaic a girdle or belt

10. a section on a transport route; fare stage

11. a catchment area for pupils for a specific school

12. See zone

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verb

1. to divide into zones, as for different use, jurisdiction, activities, etc

2. to designate as a zone

3. to mark with or divide into zones

4. to establish (an area) as a zone for a specific school

zone Scientific  

/ zōn /

1. Any of the five regions of the surface of the Earth that are loosely divided according to prevailing climate and latitude, including the Torrid Zone, the North and South Temperate zones, and the North and South Frigid zones.

2. Ecology An area characterized by distinct physical conditions and populated by communities of certain kinds of organisms.

3. Mathematics A portion of a sphere bounded by the intersections of two parallel planes with the sphere.

4. Anatomy An area or a region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic.

5. Geology A region or stratum distinguished by composition or content.

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Synonym Usage

See belt .

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interzone
  noun
• zoning
  noun
• miszone
  verb
• unzone
  verb (used with object)
• zoneless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• zones
  plural

Participles

• zoning
  present
• zoned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• zone
  simple
• zones
  simple
• have zoned
  perfect
• has zoned
  perfect
• am zoning
  progressive
• are zoning
  progressive
• is zoning
  progressive
• have been zoning
  perfect progressive
• has been zoning
  perfect progressive

Past

• zoned
  simple
• had zoned
  perfect
• was zoning
  progressive
• were zoning
  progressive
• had been zoning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will zone
  simple
• will have zoned
  perfect
• will be zoning
  progressive
• will have been zoning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of zone

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin zōna, from Greek zṓnē “belt”

Explanation

A zone is an area that has some special characteristic, like a loading zone. "The Twilight Zone" was a TV show where odd things happened. Similarly, any zone is a place that has some special feature. A loading zone is a spot where cars and trucks can unload things and people. A military zone is a place under control of the armed forces. To create a zone is called zoning: zoning breaks something into parts or sections. An election board zones an area into separate zones such as districts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zone zones zoned zoning

Researchers have found the first atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like, rocky planet orbiting within the habitable zone of a distant star.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Environmental Protection Agency, calling on the federal agency return to the cleanup zone to monitor air and water quality.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The planet lies about 124 light years away in the constellation Leo and orbits within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

Russia has moved ships further away from the combat zone to escape the threat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

“Go back to the safe zone with the shot if you’re still practicing.”

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Over time, low-oxygen zones formed in the ocean.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Tuesday that his country was "ready to move forward implementing these two pilot zones".

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

After Iraq, he kept volunteering in disaster zones and conflict zones—Haiti, Belize, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, the Syrian border, the West Bank.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

Wales again have to spend almost a day travelling with a journey of more than 5,000 miles that crosses five time zones.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

The time zones kept changing, making Leo feel the distance every time he looked at the walls.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

In 2025, Texas passed bills legalizing housing on commercially zoned land and subdivisions of starter homes, which were rendered difficult or illegal to build by municipal zoning laws, large lot requirements, or other design requirements.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

She also believes the city has to dramatically expand the creation of new housing, reduce red tape for developers and introduce “gentle density” into single-family zoned neighborhoods.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026

But the opportunity was thwarted when, in 2023, following pushback from some local residents, his township passed an ordinance that banned large solar projects from land zoned for agriculture.

From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026

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

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026

In their new home in Mimosa Crescent, the Goble daughters were now zoned to attend Hampton High School.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

We debate zoning, density and affordable-unit mandates as though changing the rules automatically produces homes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Mitchell was also named the president of the group, which was promising to “focus on policy areas like taxation, economic development incentives, deregulation and zoning at the state and local level.”

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

It makes sense for developers of conventional multifamily housing to move to building affordable housing, Lee said, because the government supports it through subsidies, zoning reform and the fast-tracking of construction permits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

Housing reforms that increase supply, such as allowing smaller lots in new subdivisions, permitting duplexes, townhomes, and backyard cottages on existing lots, and changing zoning laws to allow housing nearer to jobs, are land-use issues.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

I flinch at the sound of Amelia’s voice and realize I’ve been zoning out.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

Related Words

• area
• belt
• ground
• region
• section
• sector
• territory