out of control

Prepositional phrase

1. Not under control.
   • The economy is out of control and is headed for a crash.
   • The correspondence in these columns about locomotive slipping, which has been proceeding for some months past, is tending to get out of control, and it is necessary, despite the interest of the subject, to bring it to a close.1954 April, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 260

   Synonyms:

   full tilt boogie, on the loose

2. Not controllable.
   • The airplane went out of control after its flight-control system failed.
   • A coal train running into Bangor got out of control, with the result that the engine crashed through the buffers, and the leading bogie and driving wheels mounted the platform beyond.1944 November and December, “Notes and News: Bufferstop Collisions in Northern Ireland”, in Railway Magazine, page 370
3. Not in control of one's actions.
   • Your children are completely out of control. Can you stop them running around like that?
   • “The time is now for the United Nations and the rest of the world to jointly stand up against China and its lawless and out-of-control bullying of Taiwan,” they said, adding: “Enough is Enough.”2022 September 11 [2022 September 9], Lee Hsin-fang, Jonathan Chin, “Letter calls for Taiwan’s UN inclusion”, in Taipei Times, archived from the original on 11 Sep 2022, Front Page