on the outs

Idioms and Phrases

No longer on friendly terms, as in They've been on the outs with their in-laws for years . This idiom appeared in the early 1900s and derives from the synonymous at outs , first recorded in 1824.

Example Sentences

However, there were reports that the couple had been on the outs for months and were looking to put their mansion on the market.

From Salon

Page Six reported Thursday, just hours before Cardi B’s reveal, that the couple are on the outs.

From Los Angeles Times

As Orban has found himself increasingly on the outs with other European leaders — over Ukraine, his government’s antidemocratic moves and Hungary’s warmth toward Russia — Xi lavished praise on the Hungarian prime minister.

From Los Angeles Times

In an increasingly pluralistic society, legislators who denigrated ethnic or religious minorities or those with mental illnesses or disabilities found themselves on the outs.

From Los Angeles Times

The New York Times declared that physical wallets are on the outs.

From Slate

Related Words

• aggressive
• antagonistic
• bellicose
• combative
• contentious
• hostile
• ornery
• quarrelsome