out of whack

adjective

Wrong, broken; specifically

“My banged-up left knee is out of whack.”

Similar
malfunctioningnonfunctional
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Meanings

adjectiveout of whack (comparative more out of whack, superlative most out of whack)

comparative more out of whack · superlative most out of whack · alternative out-of-whack

  1. colloquialidiomaticWrong, broken; specifically

    In its hearty directness, “Winner” suggests that being mad as hell at a system that’s out of whack is as American as Hollywood itself.

    2024 September 11, Richard Brody, ““Winner” Takes Political Comedy Seriously”, in The New Yorker
  2. Wrong, broken; specifically:
    1. colloquialidiomaticNot in proper balance; unbalanced.

      Our priorities have gotten out of whack.

    2. colloquialidiomaticNot in proper alignment.

      The floor is so out of whack that the door hits it when opened.

    3. colloquialidiomaticNot working or operating properly.

      My banged-up left knee is out of whack.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveout of balance or out of adjustment

Similar
malfunctioningnonfunctional
Also see
malfunctioningnonfunctionalunbalanced

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Dutch van slag
  • van slagTranslations
Polish zepsuty, popsuty
  • zepsutyTranslations
  • popsutyTranslations
Spanish a la virulé, desequilibrado
  • a la viruléTranslations
  • desequilibradoTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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