off the track

Idioms  

1. Away from one's objective, train of thought, or a sequence of events, It is often put as, as in Your question has gotten me off the track, or The interruption threw Mom off the track and she forgot what she'd already put into the stew. This term comes from railroading, where it means “derailed.” Its figurative use was first recorded in 1875.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

off the track

On Thursday, the athlete issued an apology on Instagram, saying she regrets not stepping off the track.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

His friend Javier, a PhD engineering student, barely takes his eyes off the track.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

Returning to the race in the lead, Antonelli was ordered by the team to give the place back because he had passed off the track.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

But the move ended with both cars off the track, and Verstappen was advised to hand the place back to his 2021 title rival.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

Maybe I should’ve let Principal Trask kick me off the track team.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

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