Meanings
zoinks1
- Expressing surprise, fear, etc.
Oh Zoinks! This really smurfs things up for me! Well, at least I now know why many of my friends might feel my slang isn't as radicool as I do.
1998 March 28, David W Miller, “Re: Slang (was: REVIEW: Vampire Science)”, in rec.arts.drwho (Usenet)1 more example
After gulping hard, I said aloud, “Zoinks.” I was expecting a big black crow to peck out my eyes, or a woman to hang herself out the second story window.
2012, Michael W. Messer, Forever Sixteen, page 39
zoinks2
- indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of zoink
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
The earliest and most commonly known usage of this term is in the American cartoon Scooby-Doo, where it was used regularly by one of the main characters, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers. Possibly inspired by minced oaths like gadzooks or zounds.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
zoinks. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zoinks
“zoinks.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zoinks. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “zoinks,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zoinks.
Source: zoinks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.