out of business
Idioms-
No longer carrying on commercial transactions, as in He's decided to go out of business when he turns sixty-five , or The supermarkets are putting the small grocers out of business .
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Not in working order, inoperative, as in It looks as though the merry-go-round is out of business tonight . Also see out of commission ; go out , def. 5.
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.
The Journal’s own headquarters in New York, across the street from the World Trade Center, was knocked out of business, the fate of our colleagues there unknown for hours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
Becky Davis, who told the council that she and her husband owned a gun store in Goleta long before the city incorporated in 2002, said: “You zoned me out of business, literally.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Those who don't pay risk having their account on the platform blocked, effectively putting them out of business.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
"With local businesses going down, the last thing we need is to go out of business," he added.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
We interpreted this as an effort by the authorities to put us out of business, and occupied our premises illegally, with threats of eviction constantly hanging over our heads.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
