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Synonyms

out of sorts

Idioms  
  1. Irritable, grouchy, as in Don't ask him today—he's out of sorts. This expression also implies that one's poor spirits result from feeling slightly ill. [Early 1600s] The synonym out of humor, on the other hand, used more in Britain than America, simply means “ill-tempered” or “irritable.” [Mid-1600s]


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.

But Shiffrin has been out of sorts and now heads into the slalom at real risk of leaving northern Italy with a repeat of her Beijing Olympics disaster four years ago.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

But whereas Macclesfield's players played with passion and pride, Palace were well out of sorts.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Reaves looked out of sorts when he entered with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

The Buffalo Bills sit at 6-3 after looking out of sorts in a blowout loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

They seemed a little out of sorts, pointing this way and that, obviously unsure of what to do.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner

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