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

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

The third-generation Starship spacecraft carried out a maneuver that saw it flip upright and reignite its engines for control, despite one being out of commission.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

NPR first reported in January that a number of toilets on the Ford were out of commission.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 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

She was out of commission until George Pocock could repair her.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown