out to lunch
Clueless, inattentive, or careless.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He's completely out to lunch about the new rules.”
“The manager was out to lunch during the meeting and missed all the important details.”
“While her colleagues scrambled to meet the deadline, she wandered through the day out to lunch, oblivious to the mounting pressure around her.”
- 01
eat someone's lunch
To best or defeat someone thoroughly; to make short work of.
- 02
free lunch
Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.
- 03
power lunch
A working lunch at which bosses make business decisions or hold important discussions.
- 04
three-martini lunch
A leisurely, expensive midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.
Last updated August 10, 2026