out of control

Idioms  

1. Also, out of hand. No longer under management, direction, or regulation; unmanageable or unruly. For example, Housing costs are out of control, or The children were getting out of hand again. The first term uses control in the sense of “restraint,” a usage dating from the late 1500s; the variant uses hand in the sense of “power” or “authority,” and dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

However, the system did not stop the suspect, who spun out of control after being tapped by the Grappler and crossed three lanes of traffic before crashing into a wall, according to television footage.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The police officers face split-second decisions that could mean the difference between de-escalation or things getting dangerously out of control.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Humira is just one example, but it’s a fascinating case study for understanding how healthcare costs have gotten so horribly out of control and what’s needed to fix it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

The war could quickly spiral out of control, even with the vast superiority of the American military, he added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

“The wildfire burned out of control for sixteen days,” said Akira.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz