idiom · neutral
be out of one's depth
UK/biː aʊt əv wʌnz dɛpθ/US/bi aʊt əv wʌnz dɛpθ/be·out·of·one's·DEPTH
to be unable to understand or deal with something because it is too difficult for you.
Examples
“When the lecturer started using advanced formulas, I felt out of my depth.”
“She admitted she was out of her depth in the labwork.”
“If you take that seminar without preparation, you might be out of your depth.”
Band 8 sentence
“Halfway through the seminar on string theory I realised I was out of my depth and decided to revise the basics first.”
Collocations
- be out of one's depth in/with (a subject)
Word family
Common mistakes
be out of depth→be out of one's depth
out of the depth→out of one's depth
Say it for a higher band
5struggle→6be overwhelmed→7+be out of one's depth
Synonyms
in over one's head
Easily confused
in over one's head
“I agreed to run the project and now I am completely in over my head.”
Related words
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In Study
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