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out of practice

Idioms  
  1. No longer used to doing something, no longer adept for lack of doing something, as in Mom hadn't baked a cake in years—she said she was out of practice. [Late 1800s] Also see in practice.


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.

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Obviously, you won’t be doing this full time, but it’s important to be able to show a potential employer that you have been working whatever mental muscle they believe might be out of practice.

From MarketWatch Aug. 26, 2026

"I feel out of practice in a way, because by the time I do race it will be 10 months," she told BBC Sport.

From BBC May 13, 2025

Those evaluations did not indicate anything that might keep Stafford out of practice or threaten his status against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

From Washington Times Oct. 3, 2023

The Rams also be without back-up quarterback Stetson Bennett, who was held out of practice Monday because of what McVay said Wednesday was a right-shoulder issue.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 6, 2023

Besides, I was out of practice in talking to him: his reserve was again frozen over, and my frankness was congealed beneath it.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

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