zone

An area with a particular use, feature, or rule.

• This is a parking zone.
• Cars are banned from the pedestrian zone.
• We crossed into a different time zone.

Similar words: area, district, region

Common phrases: industrial zone, pedestrian zone, time zone

A particular range of situations, experiences, or ideas with shared limits or features.

• This topic takes me outside my comfort zone.
• Their argument had entered a danger zone.
• Her questions pushed the discussion into an unfamiliar zone.

Similar words: area, sphere

Common phrases: comfort zone, danger zone, safe zone

A state in which you are completely focused and perform especially well.

• I was in the zone today.
• Once he gets in the zone, he writes for hours.
• The team stayed in the zone throughout the final.

How to use it: be in the zone (She was in the zone and scored three times.)

Similar words: flow

Common phrases: in the zone, get into the zone

A band of plants or other growth around something.

• A forest zone circles the mountain.
• Above it lies a narrow zone of grasses.
• The map shows several zones of plant growth.

How to use it: zone of something (A zone of young trees surrounds the clearing.)

Similar words: belt, band

Common phrases: vegetation zone, forest zone, zone of trees

To officially decide how land or buildings may be used.

• They zoned this land for housing.
• The council has zoned the property as commercial.
• Can this site be zoned for shops?

How to use it: zone something for something (The council zoned the land for housing.); zone something as something (They zoned the property as commercial.)

Similar words: classify, designate

Common phrases: zone for housing, zone as residential, zone the land, zone for industry

To divide a place into separate areas for different purposes.

• Zone the room into separate work areas.
• They zoned the warehouse for different types of goods.
• We zoned off the back section for storage.

How to use it: zone something into something (We zoned the hall into separate activity areas.); zone off something (They zoned off a section for equipment.)

Similar words: divide, partition

Common phrases: zone the space, zone an area, zone off something

To stop paying attention for a short time and become sleepy or lost in thought.

• I sometimes zone out in meetings.
• She zoned while he explained the directions.
• You look tired; did you zone out again?

How to use it: zone out (I zoned out during the long speech.)

Similar words: daydream, doze off

Common phrases: zone out, zone during something