Over time the phrase “out of pocket” has come to mean different things, so you can be forgiven for being confused about it. And if you are confused about it, you’ve come to just the place…
In this article we will be covering the three meanings of the phrase and how each of them originated. We will also show, through the use of example sentences, how you can use the phrase in everyday life. This will be followed by a discussion on similar and synonymous sayings that can often be used in its place. Then finally, we’ll round off with a section on notable uses of the phrase in politics and social media.
So, without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What are the 3 meanings of the phrase “out of pocket” and how did they originate?
Not having enough money or funds
The original meaning of the phrase is not having enough money for something, or being cheated financially so you have less money than you should have. This is still the meaning of the phrase that is used most often.
The use of the phrase “out of pocket” dates back to at least the year 1679, when we have its earliest recorded use. It refers to someone having to pay out for something themselves, rather than have an organisation or benefactor paying for it, thus leaving a person without what they may have literally had in their pocket.
Not having enough availability
Several centuries later the meaning of the phrase “out of pocket” expanded so that from that point it was being used to refer not only to being out of pocket financially, but also being out of pocket in terms of availability.
Use of the phrase in this sense dates back to at least 1908, since this is when we have our earliest recorded use of the phrase used in this context in an O. Henry story.
Being offensive
The most recent meaning of the phrase “out of pocket” simply means out of line or offensive. It gives the sense of someone having crossed a line and exploiting someone unfairly.
This meaning of the phrase comes from African American Vernacular English (AVVE) and it has been around since at least 2006, when it was used in a song by Jay-Z. In the years that followed the phrase was used in this way on TV and more recently on social media apps such as TikTok and Twitter.
How to use the phrase “out of pocket” - featuring examples
Here follows a few examples of the phrase “out of pocket” in sentences in different contexts. This will aid your understanding of the term so that you can go ahead and use it yourself:
Out of pocket financially
- The company didn’t put on any lunch for the onboarding and induction meeting, so I was left out of pocket.
- I had to pay an excess of £50 for the repair on the car, so now I’m £50 out of pocket on top of what I was already paying, and now my insurance payments have gone up as well.
- I thought it would be cheap to fix, but I’ve been asked to pay for the part myself, so I’m out of pocket and don’t have enough cash for my sundries.
- I’m out of pocket because I’ve had to pay for Shelly’s dry cleaning bill.
Out of pocket in terms of availability
- I’m afraid I’m out of pocket for this afternoon, can we agree to meet tomorrow instead by any chance?
- No, I’m out of pocket on that date. Could we do the Thursday that week instead?
Out of pocket in terms of being out of line
- I can’t believe you said that. That’s way out of pocket. You crossed a line.
- I told him straight, that’s out of pocket. I’m not having him talk about her like that.
What you can say in place of the phrase “out of pocket”
There are several words and phrases that are similar and synonymous with the phrase “out of pocket”. But obviously, which one to use depends very much on which of its three meanings you wish to use. Here are some examples, in full sentences, for you to consider if you ever want to replace “out of pocket” with something else:
Out of pocket financially
- I don’t have the funds for that, since I had to pay the excess on the car repair
- I had to pay for my own lunch, they didn’t put a buffet on like I thought they would.
Out of pocket in terms of availability
- I’m not available tomorrow I’m afraid, can we arrange for another day instead please?
Out of pocket in terms of being out of line
- That’s out of line. You can’t say things like that. Who do you think you are?
Notable uses of the phrase “out of pocket”
In healthcare policy debates in the United States, during the passage of the Affordable Care Act (2010), the term “out-of-pocket maximum” was repeatedly used in President Obama’s speeches to emphasise consumer protections from catastrophic costs. For example, in March 2010 Obama is quoted as saying “Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on out-of-pocket expenses.”
During the 2004 presidential campaign the former U.S. Senator John Kerry once emailed staff “I’ll be out of pocket this weekend, but will check messages when possible.” This demonstrates how business leaders and political aides frequently use it in schedules and calendars to mark unavailability.
In contrast, and with a different meaning entirely, a Gen Z student might say something on TikTok along the lines of “Teachers be so out of pocket with the amount of homework they give.”
Final word
So, to summarise, the phrase out of pocket has 3 different meanings. The main and oldest meaning refers to being out of money for one reason or another. The second one refers to being out of availability due to other plans. The third meaning comes from AAVE and it refers to someone being out of line.
The oldest meaning dates back to 1679, whereas it wasn’t used for availability until 1908, and the AAVE use is much more recent, possibly in the 1970s, and officially getting into the mainstream in the 2010s, before its recent highs with Gen Z thanks to social media apps like TikTok and Twitter.
