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

Neither Wilde nor Rogen would be out of place in a ’50s-era sitcom.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026

The conversation quickly turned tense when Dokoupil, who converted to Judaism in his 20s, said that the section of the book about Israel “would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

Playing 1,375 days after her last competitive match, Williams - one of the greatest players of all time - didn't look a touch out of place as she rediscovered her powerful serve and groundstrokes.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Granted, this upscaled, agreeably rangy treatment of an adventure storyline that wouldn’t have been out of place on the show could have attempted more.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

I was the one who was out of place there—I was actually a year ahead; normally AP bio was for juniors and seniors.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

Related Words

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