out of line
Idioms-
Uncalled for, improper; inappropriate. For example, His remarks were totally out of line . It is often put as get out of line or step out of line , meaning “behave improperly,” as in She really stepped out of line when she called him incompetent in front of his boss . [Late 1700s]
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Not in agreement with general practice, as in Their prices are way out of line with other hotels . Both def. 1 and 2 are metaphoric expressions that transfer being out of alignment to various kinds of behavior.
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out of one's line ; not in one's line . Not in one's occupation or field of interest. For example, He offered a generous salary, but the work was out of her line , or I'd love to help, but telephone solicitation is not in my line . This usage alludes to line in the sense of “a business or occupation.” [Mid-1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We’re about three standard deviations higher than the norm, and that’s way out of line, and just to come back to that level you would have 40% — 45% selling,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
One retired judge who had cameras in her courtroom told me that only once did an attorney get out of line; she put him in his place and such behavior never happened again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
"Obviously, if they stepped out of line, there was repercussions as well," Frampton added.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
That ratio isn’t out of line for the utility sector, however.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
One by one, each sixteen-year-old steps out of line and walks to the middle of the room.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
