zonk out
Definition
Verb (informal): 1. To fall asleep very quickly and deeply, usually due to extreme tiredness. 2. To lose consciousness suddenly, for example from exhaustion, intoxication, or a physical impact.
Usage
This is an informal, colloquial verb, most commonly used in spoken English. It strongly implies a sudden and complete loss of wakefulness or consciousness due to an overwhelming cause like fatigue.
Examples
- Fall asleep fast:
- I was so exhausted after the marathon that I just zonked out on the couch as soon as I got home.
- The baby finally zonked out after crying for an hour.
- Lose consciousness:
- The boxer was hit hard and zonked out for a few seconds.
- (Informal/figurative) The boring lecture practically zonked me out.
Advanced Usage
- "to be zonked out": Used as an adjective phrase to describe a state of being asleep or unconscious.
- Don't wake him up; he's completely zonked out.
- The verb can be used both transitively and intransitively. In the transitive form ("That movie zonked me out"), it often means to cause extreme boredom or sleepiness.
Variants and Related Words
- Zonked (adjective): Extremely tired or asleep.
- I'm absolutely zonked; I need to go to bed.
- Crash out (phrasal verb): A close synonym meaning to fall asleep suddenly from exhaustion.
Synonyms
- Fall asleep: (more neutral)
- Crash: (informal)
- Conk out: (informal)
- Pass out: (often implies losing consciousness from alcohol or shock)
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Zone out: This is a different, though similar-sounding, phrasal verb. It means to stop paying attention, to become inattentive or daydream, but not to fall asleep.
- I totally zoned out during the meeting and didn't hear the announcement.
Related Idioms
- Out like a light: An idiom meaning to fall asleep or become unconscious very quickly.
- He took one sip of the medicine and was out like a light.
Verb
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fall asleep fast, as when one is extremely tired
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after the long drive, we zonked out and slept for 10 hours
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lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example