# off the deep end

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/off-the-deep-end
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Crazy, erratic, or irrational.

## Examples

- He went off the deep end when he lost his job.
- After working sixty hours a week for months, she finally went off the deep end and quit without a plan.
- The sudden pressure of the public scandal caused the previously calm politician to go off the deep end during his live television interview.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.