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• out-of-bounds
  out-of-bounds

  adjective

  being beyond or passing the limits or boundaries of a field, course, etc., marking the area within which the ball, puck, or the like is legally in play.
• out of bounds
  out of bounds

  adjective

  (often foll by to) not to be entered (by); barred (to)

out-of-bounds

American  

[out-uhv-boundz] / ˈaʊt əvˈbaʊndz /

adjective

1. Sports. being beyond or passing the limits or boundaries of a field, course, etc., marking the area within which the ball, puck, or the like is legally in play.

2. beyond any established boundaries or prescribed limits; forbidden; prohibited.

3. further than or beyond established limits, as of behavior or thought.

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out of bounds British  

adjective

1. (often foll by to) not to be entered (by); barred (to)

   out of bounds to civilians

2. outside specified or prescribed limits

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out of bounds Idioms  

1. Beyond established limits, breaking the rules, unreasonable. For example, Calling the teacher a liar—that's out of bounds. This expression alludes to the boundaries of the playing area in numerous sports and to the rules applying to them. Its figurative use dates from the 1940s. [Early 1800s] Also see within bounds.

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Etymology

Origin of out-of-bounds

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

out-of-bounds out of bounds

You can slow cook a 20-pound turkey waiting for NBA replay to resolve a contested out-of-bounds play.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Her degree also relied on specialist equipment, such as cameras and lighting, which could usually be rented through the university but was also out-of-bounds during Covid.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026

The descent is often in out-of-bounds, ungroomed areas, which tend to be much more challenging to navigate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026

This phenomenon, paired with news of an all-time season brewing at Baker, meant many more people, not all of whom were adequately prepared, descended on the ski area and hiked out-of-bounds into its sidecountry.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 16, 2023

That was because The Cottage is fairly out-of-bounds, even to people landing at the big airfield on legitimate business.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

While the jungle may not be visible to passers-by on the street, it doesn't mean it's completely out of bounds to people.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

“Now…they can shift their gears to the South, which still remains out of bounds for them.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

In 2008, three men were killed by an avalanche near Wrightwood, in the San Gabriel Mountains, while skiing out of bounds near the Mountain High resort.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026

DHS revamped its training curriculum after George Floyd’s murder to underscore those tactics were out of bounds, Brown said.

From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026

At the next lull, when the ball went out of bounds, Zubaid was set upon by his teammates as though he’d scored the winning goal.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John