out of business
Idioms-
No longer carrying on commercial transactions, as in He's decided to go out of business when he turns sixty-five , or The supermarkets are putting the small grocers out of business .
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Not in working order, inoperative, as in It looks as though the merry-go-round is out of business tonight . Also see out of commission ; go out , def. 5.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Their goal was to put themselves out of business, to be able to get to the end of the year and say, 'You don't need me anymore,'" Yee said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Earlier this week, it was served with a strike-off notice,, external giving two months to hand over the overdue paperwork or be put out of business.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
A different online pharmacy, which urged people to stock up on as much medication as possible, said the change would put it out of business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Many predicted Alger would go out of business and New York would fade.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
If consumers stop buying, stores and shops and restaurants go out of business.
From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
