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 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

If those facilities were taken out of commission, much of Riyadh’s population would likely have to be evacuated within days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 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

FedEx, too, will mostly be out of commission, though its Custom Critical services will be up and running.

From Barron's ● Nov. 27, 2025

Both the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini plants were out of commission following the tsunami, creating a shortage in the electricity supply.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland