English Reference
Idiom idiom

out of pocket


Lacking funds, or suffering a financial loss; broke.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I paid for the tickets and now I'm out of pocket.

CONTEXTUAL

The company refused to reimburse him, so he was left out of pocket by several hundred dollars.

COMPLEX

After the deal collapsed and his investors withdrew, the young entrepreneur found himself out of pocket and facing mounting debts.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    burn a hole in someone's pocket

    To cause someone to spend money or be tempted to spend money.

  2. 02

    deep pockets

    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

  3. 03

    in someone's pocket

    Receiving money from, and under the influence of, a person or group of people, with the expectation that a favor or advantage will be proffered in return.

  4. 04

    line one's pockets

    To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.

  5. 05

    line someone's pockets

    to make someone objectionable even more wealthy

  6. 06

    Lucy Lockett

    [Cockney slang]pocket

  7. 07

    pill in the pocket

    A medication, usually prescribed by a physician, which the patient is to carry with them, and which is to be used only under certain conditions.

  8. 08

    pocket dial

    A situation in which one's cellphone makes a call from one's pocket when its buttons are inadvertently pressed.

Last updated August 10, 2026