out of order
Idioms-
Not functioning well, not operating properly or at all, as in The oil burner is out of order again . [Mid-1500s]
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Unsuitable, inappropriate, as in Her comments about the management were out of order . Also see out of line , def. 1.
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Not following parliamentary procedure, as in The chair called him out of order .
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.
On Monday Mr. Khanna’s amendment was ruled out of order.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
According to Reuters calculations, at least 20% of Russia's total export capacity was out of order in early April following the attacks.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
"This bill doesn't just create problems... it throws our lives out of order completely," said PhD scholar Vaibhav Das, who identifies as non‑binary.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
A figure within the industry said it would not be out of order for someone with her skills and connections to command a 10% commission on products for which she secured a contract.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
The slides in the box were out of order.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
