Meanings
- idiomaticNot informed, up-to-date, or current; not included in a process or discussion.
“Well, we've been out of the loop for a few hours. Anything new that you know?”
1995, Tom Clancy, Debt of Honor, →ISBN3 more examples
Automation technology can lead to complacency when it takes the controller ‘out of the loop’ by reducing the need for his interaction with a flightcrew and de-emphasizing the cooperative aspects of the air traffic system.
1973, International Federation of Air Traffic Controller's Association (contributor), The Controller, Volumes 12-15, page 22"I was out of the loop," he added, explaining that he was planning to leave government at that time.
1976 September 16, “Former Nixon Aide Denies Soliciting Campaign Fund”, in New York TimesThe members of parliament have felt ignored by their leaders for much of this crisis, and were kept out of the loop during the negotiations.
2001 August 27, Tony Karon, “Why Macedonians Balk at NATO's Presence”, in TimeSynonyms: out of touch, in the dark · Antonyms: in the loop, in touch
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseNot informed, up-to-date, or current; not included in a process or discussion.
Origin
First use appears c. 1973. See cite below. Its use is thought by some to have roots in computer or telephony terminology.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French hors du coup
- hors du coupnot informed
Japanese 蚊帳の外
- 蚊帳の外 (kaya no soto)not informed
Polish nie w temacie, niewtajemniczony
- nie w temacienot informed
- niewtajemniczonynot informed
Russian не в те́ме, не в ку́рсе
- не в те́ме (ne v téme)not informed
- не в ку́рсе (ne v kúrse)not informed
- не в курса́х (ne v kursáx)not informed
Spanish fuera de onda, no estar al tanto
- fuera de ondanot informed
- no estar al tantonot informed
- no estar al corrientenot informed
- en el limbonot informed
- en ayunasnot informed
Cite this entry
out of the loop. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20the%20loop
“out of the loop.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20the%20loop. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “out of the loop,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20the%20loop.
Source: out of the loop on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.