out of place

Idioms  

1. Not in the proper situation, not belonging; inappropriate for the circumstances or location. For example, A high school graduate, she felt out of place among all these academics with advanced degrees, or This velvet sofa is out of place on the porch. This idiom uses place in the sense of “a fitting position.” [First half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Neither Wilde nor Rogen would be out of place in a ’50s-era sitcom.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026

Much of the writing would not be out of place in a commemorative program.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

The Haitian Revolution may seem out of place in an exhibition celebrating the U.S., but Haiti was the second independent nation in the Western Hemisphere.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

He was being raised in a liberal Jewish household with a vocal and politically progressive mother, and Elliott’s views were out of place.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

They were out of place in that fragile delicate room.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

• awkward
• erroneous
• false
• ill-advised
• imprudent
• inaccurate
• inadmissible
• inappropriate
• incorrect
• irregular
• unwarranted
• wrong