out of line
Idioms-
Uncalled for, improper; inappropriate. For example, His remarks were totally out of line . It is often put as get out of line or step out of line , meaning “behave improperly,” as in She really stepped out of line when she called him incompetent in front of his boss . [Late 1700s]
-
Not in agreement with general practice, as in Their prices are way out of line with other hotels . Both def. 1 and 2 are metaphoric expressions that transfer being out of alignment to various kinds of behavior.
-
out of one's line ; not in one's line . Not in one's occupation or field of interest. For example, He offered a generous salary, but the work was out of her line , or I'd love to help, but telephone solicitation is not in my line . This usage alludes to line in the sense of “a business or occupation.” [Mid-1800s]
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.
If the attorney general and expert lawyers agree that the sentence is out of line with normal expectations for such a crime, they send the case to the Court of Appeal.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
And when those incentives get out of line, I’m watching for that because it creates conflicts and then there should be opportunity right around the corner.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
This is not the first time the “Percy Jackson” franchise’s so-called fans have been out of line.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Was he out of line for giving modest gifts to this woman and her children?
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
He pulled Devin out of line in the north and brought him in alongside Gamble: two thousand men facing west.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
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.
