Synonyms

out to lunch

Idioms

Not in touch with the real world, crazy; also, inattentive. For example, If he believes that story, he's really out to lunch, or Anne hasn't heard a word you said—she's out to lunch. This expression transfers a temporary physical absence for the purpose of eating to a temporary or permanent mental absence. [Slang; mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

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out to lunch

Yesterday, we babysat our granddaughter while our daughter and her husband went out to lunch to celebrate her birthday.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

"There's already a rat infestation around here now. They are coming out to lunch every day," he said.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025

Maybe that happened before COVID, but now the stuff he's saying, it's just completely out to lunch.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2025

Took me out to lunch, told me they were going to rebuild, and if I ever wanted to go somewhere, I didn’t have to be around for it … just as a “thank you.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2023

So on Wednesday, I asked Annemarie if she wanted to go out to lunch with me and she said yes.

From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

out to lunch

Example Sentences

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