off the rails
The idiom "off the rails" is used to describe situations or behaviors that deviate significantly from the norm, often resulting in chaos or loss of control.
Definition
B2General
(informal)Acting in a way that is erratic or out of control.
Example
- After losing his job, he went completely off the rails.
B2Situational
(informal)Describing a process or event that has deviated from its planned course, often leading to chaos.
Example
- The project went off the rails after the budget cuts.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "off the rails":
on the railsoff the trackout of controlout of handout of linego awryoff the deep endgo overboardoff the chaingo off the reservationout of whackoff keelway offgo astrayoff the markgo off the boilgo offoff the reservationout of one's mindoff the boillose the plotwild outgo bonkerstrain wreckoff one's gamekick over the tracesall bets are offrun riotgo wrongout to lunchon trackgo ballisticoff one's boxoff targetoff the hookgob offoff the gridout of stepgone wrongrunning railgo rogueoff one's headgo madon railsgo by the boardout of sortsrun off on