Meaning & use
out of alignment
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Not in the correct position in relation to something else, so that things do not line up properly.
Grammar: Used after be or after verbs such as go, come, or knock: the wheels are out of alignment.
Patterns
- be out of alignment
- go out of alignment
- knock something out of alignment
The front wheels were out of alignment, so the car pulled to the left.
One of the shelves is out of alignment with the others, which makes the whole bookcase look crooked.
The printer heads went out of alignment and the text came out blurry.
phrasefixed phrasefigurative
Not matching or agreeing with something such as a plan, rule, or set of aims.
Grammar: Often followed by with: out of alignment with company policy.
Patterns
- be out of alignment with something
- come out of alignment with something
Their spending is out of alignment with the budget they agreed on.
The team's goals seem out of alignment with what the customers actually want.
Common combinations
- go out of alignment
- The satellite dish went out of alignment during the storm.
- knock something out of alignment
- A small bump knocked the mirror out of alignment.
- be out of alignment with
- The new rules are out of alignment with local practice.
- put something out of alignment
- Dropping the box put the machine out of alignment.
- come out of alignment
- The gears came out of alignment after years of use.
Synonyms and how they differ
- misaligned
- An adjective meaning the same thing; use it before a noun ('misaligned wheels') or after be, where 'out of alignment' would also work.
- askew
- Suggests something is slightly crooked or tilted, often in a looser, more visual way than 'out of alignment'.
- out of line
- Similar in the 'not matching' sense, but it is also used for behavior that breaks rules, which 'out of alignment' is not.
Opposites
Word family
- alignment noun
- The state of being in the correct position or agreement.
- align verb
- To put things into the correct position or bring them into agreement.
- misalignment noun
- A state in which things are not correctly positioned or matched.
Commonly confused: out of alignment or out of line?
out of alignment vs out of line
'Out of line' usually describes rude or unacceptable behavior, or something not straight; 'out of alignment' is mainly about position or agreement.
Practice
The steering feels strange because the front wheels have gone ___ alignment.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'go out of alignment'. 'Out from' and 'away of' are not used in this expression, and 'off of' is informal and does not fit the phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of alignment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.