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

Not entirely out of place in Queens, as Stuhlmann said: “You do see more crop tops at the U.S. Open than at any other tournament.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 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

The report confirmed there were no “obvious signs” of foul play and that “nothing seemed out of place or disturbed” in Brendon’s home, which appeared to be under renovation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Atoms that are out of place are less stable and more likely to dissolve when exposed to water.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

The bustle of the North End was an arresting sight, and in the middle of it all, dwarfing almost every other building around it, stood an enormous structure that seemed completely out of place.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

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