Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Gross Unrealized Losses from Derivative Instruments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Derivative Instruments Gain Loss [Line Items]
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Recognized in AOCI	$ 64.2	$ 23.0	$ 164.4	$ 70.9
Type of Cost, Good or Service [Extensible List]	us-gaap:ProductMember	us-gaap:ProductMember	us-gaap:ProductMember	us-gaap:ProductMember
Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments Gain Loss [Line Items]
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Recognized in AOCI	$ 64.2	$ 23.0	$ 164.4	$ 70.9
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI	16.8	(1.8)	33.0	(3.7)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivative Instruments Gain Loss [Line Items]
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Recognized in AOCI	64.2	23.0	164.4	70.9
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts [Member] \| Cost of Products Sold [Member]
Derivative Instruments Gain Loss [Line Items]
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI	17.0	(1.6)	33.6	(3.2)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Forward Starting Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments Gain Loss [Line Items]
Amount of Gain / (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI	$ (0.2)	$ (0.2)	$ (0.6)	$ (0.5)

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624177-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax and reclassification, of gain (loss) from derivative instrument designated and qualifying cash flow hedge included in assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121577181&loc=SL110061190-113977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossBeforeReclassificationAndTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates type of cost from product sold and service rendered.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 91
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126920602&loc=SL49130690-203046-203046

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfCostGoodOrServiceExtensibleList
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	enum2:enumerationSetItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=zbh_ForwardStartingInterestRateSwapsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=zbh_InterestExpenseNetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: