out of sorts

Idioms  

1. Irritable, grouchy, as in Don't ask him today—he's out of sorts. This expression also implies that one's poor spirits result from feeling slightly ill. [Early 1600s] The synonym out of humor, on the other hand, used more in Britain than America, simply means “ill-tempered” or “irritable.” [Mid-1600s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

out of sorts

Ben Duckett made 43, though Jacob Bethell looked out of sorts in his new role as opener.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

But Shiffrin has been out of sorts and now heads into the slalom at real risk of leaving northern Italy with a repeat of her Beijing Olympics disaster four years ago.

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026

The Buffalo Bills sit at 6-3 after looking out of sorts in a blowout loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025

He looked particularly out of sorts in Game 1, when he struck out four times in what was his first career playoff game both hitting and pitching.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2025

They seemed a little out of sorts, pointing this way and that, obviously unsure of what to do.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner