English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms.

A reference page of 2,570 current English Phrasal Verbs (also called multi-word verbs) with definitions and examples is here.

Phrasal Verbs beginning with Z :

Zero in on :

1. Direct or focus attention on

The police have ZEROED IN ON the man they believe to be responsible for the murder.


2. Head for, move towards

The hurricane is ZEROING IN ON Florida.


Zero out :

1. Cut off funding for a project

The debt was ZEROED OUT by the department.


2. Reduce to zero, cancel, and remove

The entry was ZEROED OUT of the database.


Zip around : Move quickly

We ZIPPED AROUND the supermarket to get the shopping done.


Zip by : Pass quickly

The motorbike ZIPPED BY the cars stuck in the traffic jam.


Zip up : Keep quiet

He was being stupid in the meeting, so we told him to ZIP UP.


Zone in : Pay attention after not doing so

I was bored at first but then ZONED IN when things started getting more interesting.


Zone in on : Pay attention after not doing so

I ZONED IN ON what they were saying when they started gossiping.


Zone out :

1. Not pay attention

She ZONED OUT during the lecture because it was so boring.


2. Dissociate yourself from a situation

I put some ambient music on and ZONED OUT.


Zonk out : Fall asleep

I ZONKED OUT during the film and missed most of it.


Zoom in : Focus more closely

The camera ZOOMED IN to show people’s faces.


Zoom in on : Focus more closely

The camera ZOOMED IN ON his face.


Zoom off : Go somewhere quickly

He rushed out of the building and ZOOMED OFF in his car.


Zoom out : Focus less closely

The camera ZOOMED OUT to show the entire crowd.


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