What does ‘a fish out of water’ mean?
To “a fish out of water” means to someone in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. Brewer's records this simile as a long-standing English proverb.
Origin
- Brewer's records this simile as a long-standing English proverb.
How to use it
- Used sympathetically for people out of their element.
- Example: At the black-tie gala he felt like a fish out of water.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.