phrase🎓 English idiom

a fish out of water

someone out of place and uncomfortable

What it means

A fish out of water is someone who feels uncomfortable, awkward, or out of place in unfamiliar surroundings. It describes the unease people feel in a situation that doesn't suit them or that they aren't used to.

Examples

  • At the formal dinner, the casual student felt like a fish out of water.
  • Moving to a huge city, she was a fish out of water for months.
  • He's a fish out of water at parties, preferring quiet evenings at home.
  • Without my colleagues there, I was a complete fish out of water.

Where it comes from

The comparison dates back to the 14th century, appearing in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, and draws on the obvious distress of a fish stranded out of its natural element.

Related idioms

#like two peas in a pod#down to earth#a piece of work#in the same boat

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