out of commission

Idioms  

1. Not in working order, unable to function. For example, The drawbridge is out of commission so we'll have to take the tunnel. This idiom originally referred to a ship that was laid up for repairs or held in reserve. Similarly, the antonym, in commission, referred to a ship armed and ready for action. The latter term is also used in more general contexts today, as in My car's back in commission now, so we can drive to the theater. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

out of commission

The upgrade will put the plane out of commission for roughly a month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Qatari-gifted jet President Trump uses as Air Force One will undergo upgrades this fall, putting it out of commission for about a month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

The third-generation Starship spacecraft carried out a maneuver that saw it flip upright and reignite its engines for control, despite one being out of commission.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

Around 10% of U.S. natural gas production was temporarily knocked out of commission just as demand was spiking, noted strategists at Saxo Bank.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 26, 2026

“He’s their dad,” I said, “but Bianca and Nico have been out of commission for a long time, since even before World War II.”

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan