get out of hand

idiom/ɡɛt aʊt əv hænd/ 🔊 listen

Get out of hand means for a situation to become impossible to control. Something that was once manageable gradually escalates until no one can keep it in check.

📖 Meanings

1to become impossible to control
"The party got out of hand and the neighbors called the police." — The party became uncontrollable and the neighbors called the police.
2for a situation to escalate beyond control
"Let's stop before this argument gets out of hand." — Let's stop before this argument becomes uncontrollable.

🔄 Related phrases

spiral out of control →get out of control →go too far →

💬 Common patterns

get out of handgetting out of handbefore it gets out of hand
❓ How do you say a situation became impossible to control?