out of line

prepositional phrase

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see out of, line.

“I hope my comments yesterday were not out of line.”

Similar
out of order
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see out of, line.

    I lost my place when I had to get out of line to find you.

    Synonyms: out of order

  2. idiomaticInappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

    I hope my comments yesterday were not out of line.

    2 more examples

    I think I should tell him that I wouldn't disapprove if he took a lover but I don't know if it's out of line or not.

    1973 February 18, Lou Sullivan, Diary

    Ah, no inhibitions Make no conditions Get a little outta line I ain't gonna act Politically correct I only wanna have a good time

    1997, Shania Twain, Mutt Lange, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”, in Come On Over, performed by Shania Twain
  3. Disobedient; not following orders or order.

    Pope Innocent III […] led a crusade against the out-of-line Albigensians in Provence.

    1984 December 29, Charlie Shively, “Medieval Latin Poems of Male Love and Friendship (review)”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 25, page 10
  4. Not in a line; straggly.

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see out of, line.

Similar
out of order
Also see
badinappropriateout of orderunfitunhappyunsuitable

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 不合適 /不合适
  • 不合適 /不合适 (bù héshì)inappropriate
Dutch ongepast, buitensporig
  • ongepastinappropriate
  • buitensporiginappropriate
Estonian kohatu
  • kohatuinappropriate
Finnish sopimaton
  • sopimatoninappropriate
German abweichend, neben der Spur
  • abweichendinappropriate
  • neben der Spurinappropriate
  • unpassendinappropriate
  • verstreutNot in a line
  • verteiltNot in a line
Italian fuori luogo
  • fuori luogoinappropriate
Lithuanian ne vietoje
  • ne vietojeinappropriate
Māori tīreureu
  • tīreureuNot in a line
Polish niewłaściwy, potargany
  • niewłaściwyinappropriate
  • potarganyNot in a line
  • roztrzepanyNot in a line
  • zmierzwionyNot in a line
  • rozproszonyNot in a line
Portuguese fora da casinha
  • fora da casinhainappropriate
Romanian deplasat
  • deplasatinappropriate
Russian не к ме́сту, неуме́стный
  • не к ме́сту (ne k méstu)inappropriate
  • неуме́стный (neuméstnyj)inappropriate
Tagalog wala sa tikma
  • wala sa tikmainappropriate
Cite this entry
APA

out of line. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20line

MLA

“out of line.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20line. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “out of line,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20line.

Source: out of line on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.