off the rails

prepositional phrase

In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticIn an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.
  2. idiomaticInsane.
  3. idiomaticOff the intended path.

    ... but the plan came off the rails when infuriated Communists called it "ideological provocation" and warned against "kindling political confrontation

    2009 July 13, Ed Bentley, “Lenin 1, Tsar Nicholas 0 – but Sheremetyevo-3”, in Moscow News
    1 more example

    "The DfT appears to have put things on a firmer footing, but the path is littered with cautionary tales of transport projects that later went off the rails.

    2022 August 10, Mel Holley, “Network News: Question marks over TransPennine upgrade spending”, in RAIL, number 963, page 24
  4. idiomaticOut of control.

    I reckon it's pretty astonishing that none of us did go off the rails. There really was no telling how any of us would deal with the pressures and the fame.

    2009 July 10, Jenny Johnston, “You won't catch us going to rehab: So have the young stars of Harry Potter turned into superbrats?”, in Daily Mail
  5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see off, rail.

    The train did not come off the rails and nobody was injured.

    2024 February 21, “Safety changes recommended after train hits collapsed wall”, in RAIL, number 1003, page 19

Origin

Suggesting the derailment of a locomotive.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish poissa raiteiltaan, ei raiteillaan
  • poissa raiteiltaanin an abnormal manner
  • ei raiteillaanin an abnormal manner
Icelandic út af sporinu
  • út af sporinuin an abnormal manner
Italian fuori dai gangheri
  • fuori dai gangheriin an abnormal manner
Polish postrzelony, stuknięty
  • postrzelonyin an abnormal manner
  • stukniętyin an abnormal manner
  • ekscentrycznyin an abnormal manner
  • na złą drogę(idiomatic) Off the intended path.
Russian сойти с рельсов
  • сойти с рельсов (sojti s relʹsov)in an abnormal manner
Spanish descarrilar, descarriar
  • descarrilar(idiomatic) Off the intended path.
  • descarriar(idiomatic) Off the intended path.
  • de los rieles(idiomatic) Off the intended path.
  • del rail(idiomatic) Off the intended path.
Swedish spåra ur, urspårad
  • spåra urin an abnormal manner
  • urspåradin an abnormal manner
Cite this entry
APA

off the rails. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20rails

MLA

“off the rails.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20rails. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “off the rails,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20rails.

Source: off the rails on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.