zonk

verb

ˈzäŋk How to pronounce zonk (audio)
ˈzȯŋk
zonked; zonking; zonks

transitive verb

: stun, stupefy
also : strike, zap
—often used with out

intransitive verb

: to pass out from or as if from alcohol or a drug
—often used with out

Examples of zonk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cyber crooks often use malware to attack your computers and either zonk your computer or threaten you or steal from you. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2023 Given escalating doses — ones that would normally zonk out someone without the disorder — people with catatonia begin to unfreeze and emerge. — Julia Michie Bruckner, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

probably imitative

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of zonk was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Zonk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zonk. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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