Colloquial Variant guide

zonk

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /zɒŋk/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒŋk

1

noun

Meaning 1

An unfavorable card or token, or undesirable or worthless item used as a prize in a contest or game show (such as Let's Make a Deal).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The feeling of a drug taking hold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A cigarette hand-rolled from tobacco and cannabis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To hit hard .

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make (someone) sleepy or delirious, to put into a stupor .

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To become exhausted, sleepy or delirious.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, slang, usually

Examples

  • After two hours of studying, I zonked out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First attested around 1950. Unknown origin, likely imitative, of echoic origin.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: черен Петър (čeren Petǎr) — unfavorable card or token
  • Czech: plíva — unfavorable card or token
  • Danish: nitte — unfavorable card or token
  • Danish: sorteper — unfavorable card or token
  • Dutch: schijtkaart — unfavorable card or token
  • German: Niete — unfavorable card or token
  • German: Zonk — unfavorable card or token
  • German: Trostpreis — unfavorable card or token
  • German: Arschkarte — unfavorable card or token
  • German: Schwarzer Peter — unfavorable card or token
  • Hungarian: Lucifer — unfavorable card or token
  • Swedish: svarte petter — unfavorable card or token
  • German: schläfrig machen — make sleepy or delirious
  • German: müde machen — make sleepy or delirious
  • Czech: vytuhnout — become exhausted
  • Czech: odpadnout — become exhausted
  • German: müde werden — become exhausted
  • German: wegtreten — become exhausted
  • German: schläfrig werden — become exhausted
  • German: schlapp werden — become exhausted
  • Russian: устать (ustatʹ) — become exhausted