<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-10</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000109380</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ZIONS BANCORPORATION /UT/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZION</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184839</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MADSEN RICHARD H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-10</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>1000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>198518</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>30</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-10</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>1000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1997-10-28</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2007-04-27</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>1000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>26000</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Option granted under Zions Bancorporation non-employee director non-qualified stock option plan.  Options vest 25% per year for 4 years.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reporting person also holds 10,146.351 shares indirectly under the title &quot;By Dividend Reinvestment Plan&quot; and 1,440 &quot;By Wife*&quot;.  *The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the securities for the purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Clark B. Hinckley as Attorney In Fact for Richard H. Madsen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
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4
2003-07-10
0
0000109380
ZIONS BANCORPORATION /UT/
ZION
0001184839
MADSEN RICHARD H
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2003-07-10
4
J
0
1000
0
A
198518
D
Stock Option (right to buy)
30
2003-07-10
4
J
0
1000
0
D
1997-10-28
2007-04-27
Common Stock
1000
26000
D
Option granted under Zions Bancorporation non-employee director non-qualified stock option plan.  Options vest 25% per year for 4 years.
Reporting person also holds 10,146.351 shares indirectly under the title "By Dividend Reinvestment Plan" and 1,440 "By Wife*".  *The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the securities for the purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.
/s/Clark B. Hinckley as Attorney In Fact for Richard H. Madsen
2003-07-14