(something) is out of whack

Things that are "out of whack" are not working properly.

Things that you can describe as being "out of whack" include systems like:

  • a person's body cycles, including digestion, menstruation, and sleep
  • the climate in a certain part of the world
  • a company's communication system

This is a very casual, colloquial phrase. A more formal way to say "out of whack" is "out of balance".

This phrase appears in these lessons: