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]
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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.
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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.
Any citizen who steps out of line risks the ire of an even dumber police force, riding around in cruisers that lift their design language from Ed Hardy clothing.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
Clark said SpaceX may one day justify such a valuation but "momentum, euphoria, and hype is a fickle beast, and this market is out of line across many stocks for now."
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 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
"Obviously, if they stepped out of line, there was repercussions as well," Frampton added.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
The slapping and dripping of food was so mesmerizing that I didn’t notice the pile of cilantro the lunch lady dumped on my serving of guacamole until I slid out of line.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
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.
