Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. intoxicated by a given drug or by drink.

1958		G. Lea Somewhere There’s Music 85: I think I got zonked on the beer.
1961		J.A. Williams Night Song (1962) 48: But now Eagle, even half-zonked, knew something was wrong.
1965		H. Huncke in Huncke’s Journal (1998) 32: He was zonked and wanted to nod off in the apartment.
1968		‘Hy Lit’ Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 46: zonked – [...] drunk.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 136: Goddam feds don’t look like feds no more — some of them look like zonked-out freaks.
1977		C. McFadden Serial 104: He told Bill they kept him zonked on Librium.
1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 102: Around and around the cocktail went, and with every gulp we got [...] more and more zonked.
1985		‘Thommo’ Dict. Aus. Swearing & Sex Sayings 145: ZONKED — (out) Physically and mentally drained, affected by drugs, intoxicated by alcohol.
1989		(con. 1982–6) T. Williams Cocaine Kids (1990) 101: The other has snorted up all Jake’s coke – but Jake doesn’t know it because he’s so zonked out he don’t know his head from a hole.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 152: Mila (or at least the zonked-out Mila) was one of those people who take the world’s problems on their shoulders.
1993		E. Richards Cocaine True 93: My girlfriend was always zonked out of her mind.
1999		N. Cohn Yes We have No 298: She looks too zonked to see.
2000		Indep. on Sun. Real Life 30 Jan. 11: Zonked-out clubbers.
2003		G. Tate Midnight Lightning 85: Everybody was already high, completely zonked.
2008		A. Wheatle Dirty South 109: Rich white people who [...] had a cocaine zonked-out look about them.
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 36: Dad found Sergeant zonked out in his bed one night.
2017		L. McInerney Blood Miracles : Ryan seemed nicely zonked but Phelan had Dougan administer a dose of ketamine, just in case.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 27: She’s zonked on booze and pills.

2. (also zonky) confused, mentally impaired.

1961		H. Ellison Rockabilly (1963) 72: A zonky-lookin’ com-eed-ee-an.
1972		Nova Apr. 99: This country is so zonked out on its own acid, so deep in its own fat and babble and filth.
1977		Eble Campus Sl. Fall 6: zonked – not in control of mental faculties.
1995		C. Hiaasen Stormy Weather 315: Augustine kept a watch on Snapper, still zonked from the monkey tranquilizer.
2000		F. Mac Anna Cartoon City 79: Buster was portrayed as a cross between ‘The James Brown of Dogfighting’ and a zonked-out zombie.
2000		Guardian 4 Mar. 23: Z is for zonked.

3. completely exhausted.

1968		‘Hy Lit’ Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 46: zonked – Very tired [...] beat; bushed; bedraggled; in need of rest.
1978		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 5: zonked or zonked-out – a condition of exhausted sleep.
1982		Eble Campus Sl. Fall 5: zonked – tired, exhausted, worn out.
1985		‘Thommo’ Dict. Aus. Swearing & Sex Sayings 145: ZONKED — (out) Physically and mentally drained.
1992		K. Lette Llama Parlour 63: What a day. [...] I’m like, ab-sol-utely zonked.
2000		Observer Escape 30 Apr. 3: We lumbered off to our lovely beds [...] and slept the sleep of the absolutely zonked.
2018		C. Hammer Scrublands [ebook] ‘I’ve had a long day. I’m zonked’.

4. (US) enthusiastic or excited.

1975		L. Rosten Dear ‘Herm’ 90: We are both but zonked – mad, mad, MADLY in Love.
1992		K. Lette Llama Parlour 19: My project’s in turnaround at the Sundance Institute [...] Redford is apparently off his face over it! He’s zonked. Like totally.