out of kilter

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

misaligned, unsettled, or operating abnormally

Word picture

Something is pictured as shifted away from its proper balance or alignment.

Example

“Weeks of night shifts left her sleep schedule completely out of kilter.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

every which way Informal · CEFR B1

in every direction, often in a scattered or disorderly way

open the floodgates Neutral · CEFR B2

To remove a restraint and allow something to increase rapidly, often beyond control.

fall in line Neutral · CEFR B1

to obey or accept the rules and expectations set by a group or authority

get out of hand Neutral · CEFR B1

To become impossible to control.

go downhill Neutral · CEFR B1

to become progressively worse in condition, quality, or performance

go with the flow Neutral · CEFR B1

To adjust calmly to circumstances or prevailing behavior instead of resisting them.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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