Manganese-based　oxides　with　high　capacity　and　moderate　operation　voltage　have　been　extensively　studied　as　promising　cathode　materials　for　aqueous　zinc　ion　batteries　(ZIBs).　However,　the　inherent　poor　electrical　conductivity,　sluggish　reaction　kinetics,　huge　volume　expansion　and　dissolution　of　manganese　species　in　electrolyte　greatly　restrict　their　practical　applications.　Herein,　ultrasmall　ZnMn2O4　nanodots　uniformly　anchored　on　reduced　graphene　oxide　with　strong　interfacial　interaction　(ZnMn2O4　NDs/rGO　composite)　is　synthesized.　Compared　with　the　pure　ZnMn2O4　microspheres,　the　ZnMn2O4　NDs/rGO　composite　displays　a　much　higher　discharge　capacity　of　207.6　mA　h　g−1　at　a　current　density　of　0.2　A　g−1,　as　well　as　better　rate　capability　and　long-term　cycling　stability.　Impressively,　the　aqueous　Zn//ZnMn2O4　NDs/rGO　battery　exhibits　a　high　energy　density　of　266　W　h　kg−1　at　a　power　density　of　137　W　kg−1,　indicating　great　potential　for　practical　applications.　The　excellent　performance　could　be　attributed　to　the　abundant　active　sites,　shortened　ion　diffusion　pathway,　improved　electrical　conductivity　and　good　structure　stability.　Furthermore,　electrochemical　analyses　reveal　that　favorable　reaction　kinetics　towards　efficient　zinc　ion　storage　is　achieved　in　the　composite.　The　present　work　might　shed　light　on　the　rational　design　and　synthesis　of　advanced　strongly　coupled　graphene　based　composites　as　cathode　materials　for　aqueous　ZIBs.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.