English Reference
Idiom idiom

take out of context


To report (something) without taking into account the context in which it occurred.

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


SIMPLE

Do not take my words out of context.

CONTEXTUAL

The newspaper took his quote out of context, making it seem like he disagreed with the plan.

COMPLEX

By taking the author's controversial statement out of context, the critics ignored the nuanced argument presented in the rest of the book.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  3. 03

    forget to take one's medication this morning

    To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.

  4. 04

    get taken in

    To be fooled; to fall for.

  5. 05

    give and take

    A process of compromise or accommodation.

  6. 06

    give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

    Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

  7. 07

    have one's name taken

    To receive a yellow card.

  8. 08

    I take it

    Used to express one's understanding of another's position.

Last updated August 10, 2026