fish out of water

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in peacetime, he’s a fish out of water.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

“David would be like a fish out of water if he were out of public service,” Bumpers, who served 18 years with Pryor in the Senate, said in 2006.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 20, 2024

Since we went to Asia, maybe we'll go somewhere where we are a fish out of water.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2024

I'm convinced that Haaland needs the constant flow of goals and without them he's like a fish out of water.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2023

If I felt like a fish out of water in my family, I felt like a fish on Mars in Adam’s circle.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman