zone-out
/ˈzəʊn aʊt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To stop paying attention for a short time, especially because you are tired, bored, or thinking about something else.
- I zoned out during the long lecture.
- She zones out when the meeting gets dull.
- Don't zone out while driving.
noun
A brief period when someone stops paying attention or becomes mentally absent.
- He had a total zone-out in class.
- That was one of my worst zone-outs.
- Her zone-out lasted only a minute.
Adinary Nuance
Zone-out is more casual than "lose focus" or "daydream." It often suggests your mind went blank for a short time, not that you were deeply imagining something. Writers choose it when they want a relaxed, modern word for brief inattention.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- lơ đãng
- Spanish
- desconectarse
- Chinese
- 走神
- Japanese
- ぼーっとする
- Korean
- 멍해지다
Etymology
Zone-out comes from the phrase "in the zone," which means fully focused. It became common in American English in the late 20th century, especially as a casual phrasal verb.
Common phrases
zone out in classzone out during a meetingzone out for a moment
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is zone-out formal or informal?
- It is informal. Use it in speaking, notes, or casual writing.
- Is zone-out the same as daydream?
- Not exactly. Daydream suggests imagining something pleasant; zone-out is often blank inattention.
- Can I use zone-out in IELTS writing?
- It is better in informal speech than in academic writing. Use clearer phrases like "lose focus" instead.
- Is it okay to say zoned out?
- Yes. "Zoned out" is the common past tense form in speech and writing.