Meaning & use
out of whack
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Not working correctly or not in proper balance or alignment.
Grammar: Used after the verb be or verbs like go, get, throw: the schedule is out of whack.
Patterns
- be out of whack
- go out of whack
- throw something out of whack
The printer is out of whack again; it keeps jamming.
My sleep schedule got out of whack after I traveled across time zones.
The economy was thrown out of whack by the sudden rise in oil prices.
Common combinations
- out of whack with
- His spending is out of whack with his income.
- get out of whack
- The timing belt can get out of whack if you don't replace it.
- throw something out of whack
- The new regulations threw the whole system out of whack.
Synonyms and how they differ
- out of order
- Used mainly for machines that are not working; 'out of whack' is broader and can refer to schedules or balance.
- out of kilter
- Very similar in meaning and also informal, but less common in American English.
- misaligned
- More technical and formal, used for physical alignment; 'out of whack' is more general and informal.
Opposites
Commonly confused: out of whack or out of wack?
out of whack vs out of wack
A common misspelling; the correct spelling is 'out of whack' with 'wh'.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'out of whack' correctly.
Choose one answer.
'Out of whack' means not working or aligned properly, so it fits the car's alignment. Option 1 is not idiomatic; we say 'out of sync with' or 'behind on' homework. Option 2 means the party was bad, not out of balance. Option 3 means he is not prepared, not out of whack.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of whack”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.