out of control

Idioms  

1. Also, out of hand. No longer under management, direction, or regulation; unmanageable or unruly. For example, Housing costs are out of control, or The children were getting out of hand again. The first term uses control in the sense of “restraint,” a usage dating from the late 1500s; the variant uses hand in the sense of “power” or “authority,” and dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

Once policymakers realized inflation was out of control, they course-corrected and hiked interest rates rapidly.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

Because if we’re not schooling people, it’s going to become more rampant than it already is, and it is out of control.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

The Arctic Metagaz tanker was badly damaged and later seen drifting out of control with no crew onboard.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

However, the system did not stop the suspect, who spun out of control after being tapped by the Grappler and crossed three lanes of traffic before crashing into a wall, according to television footage.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Her rage bubbled up, her marvel out of control.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton