off the rails

No longer working or developing properly, often causing problems or damage.

• The meeting went off the rails.
• His life went off the rails after he lost his job.
• We need to act before the project goes off the rails.

How to use it: go off the rails (The discussion went off the rails after his angry comment.)

Similar words: out of control, awry

Opposites: on track

Common phrases: go off the rails, completely off the rails

If someone or something becomes impossible to control, their behaviour or situation becomes wild or seriously troubled.

• The party went off the rails.
• She went off the rails and started missing school.
• Their spending has gone completely off the rails.

How to use it: go off the rails (His life went off the rails after he lost his job.)

Similar words: out of control

Opposites: under control

Common phrases: go off the rails, completely off the rails

If a plan leaves its intended course, it stops developing in the way people wanted.

• Our plan went off the rails.
• The debate went off the rails after that question.
• How did the project get so far off the rails?

How to use it: go off the rails (The discussion went off the rails when we started talking about lunch.)

Similar words: off course, off track

Opposites: on track

Common phrases: go off the rails, off the rails again

Behaving as if unable to think clearly or reasonably.

• He sounds completely off the rails.
• They called her off the rails after hearing her strange claims.
• Do you think I’m off the rails for believing him?

How to use it: be off the rails (He thought she was off the rails for believing that story.)

Similar words: crazy, mad

Opposites: sane

Common phrases: completely off the rails, go off the rails

A train or its wheels are no longer on the metal tracks they should follow.

• The train came off the rails.
• Two wheels slipped off the rails on the bend.
• Workers lifted the carriage that was off the rails.

How to use it: come off the rails (One carriage came off the rails near the station.)

Similar words: derailed

Common phrases: come off the rails, off the rails again