out of practices

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "out of practices" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misphrasing; the correct expression is "out of practice." Example: "After taking a break from playing the piano for several months, I feel out of practice."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Both injuries have forced him out of practices but not out of the limelight.

The New York Times - Sports

But Ryan also said Burress would be held out of practices until Wednesday, as a precaution.

The New York Times

Van Gundy has argued his stand over more than just the use of game microphones, attempting to keep the news media out of practices.

The New York Times - Sports

But Kendrell Bell, whose high school coach would hold him out of practices because he was hurting his teammates, did not stop with his eye-opening pop on Bettis in August.

The New York Times - Sports

Missouri's proposed law -- aimed at high school athletes -- would require players be kept out of practices and games until cleared by a licensed health care worker trained in evaluating and managing concussions.

The New York Times

We therefore suggest that applying a care ethics lens can significantly broaden the frame of appraisal processes used for the governance of emerging technologies and usefully grant legitimacy to questions and concerns that are prominent in public discourse but typically left out of practices of risk assessment.

Technology in Society

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Out-of-practice celebs fell back on red, black, long and tastefully one-shouldered.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

9 30 P.M. (2) OUT OF PRACTICE -- Series premiere.

The New York Times

As annoying as Howard's questions are, you're too out of practice to even answer them.

The New Yorker

Drop-out of practices is not expected and use of imputation methods is not foreseen.

BMJ Open

Hereby, we aim to prevent selective drop-out of practices in the control and intervention I arm.

BMC Family Practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "out of practices". The correct idiom is "out of practice", which describes a state of diminished skill due to lack of recent activity. For example, "After a long vacation, my tennis skills are a bit out of practice".

Common error

The most common error is using the plural "practices" instead of the singular "practice". Remember that "practice" in this context refers to the general act of doing something repeatedly, not to individual instances of practice. Always use "out of practice."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "out of practices" is a prepositional phrase that is intended to function as an adjective, describing a state of diminished skill. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, this particular phrasing is not considered standard English. The correct form is "out of practice".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "out of practices" is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI confirms, the correct and widely accepted form is "out of practice". This idiom describes a decline in skill due to a lack of recent activity. When aiming to convey this meaning, it is best to avoid "out of practices" and instead use "out of practice" or semantically similar alternatives like "rusty" or "lacking practice". Using the correct form will ensure clarity and adherence to standard English conventions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

out of practice

Singular 'practice' implies a general state of being unpracticed, which is the correct idiom.

lacking practice

Focuses on the absence of recent practice as the reason for diminished skill.

rusty

Metaphorically suggests a decline in skill due to inactivity.

not practiced

A straightforward way of saying that someone has not been practicing something.

unskilled

Indicates a general lack of skill, potentially stemming from lack of practice.

untrained

Highlights the absence of formal training or recent experience.

inexperienced

Emphasizes a lack of experience as the cause of being unprepared.

unfamiliar

Suggests a lack of knowledge or experience with something specific.

not up to par

Implies a performance level below the expected standard, often due to lack of practice.

off one's game

Suggests a temporary decline in performance, usually because they lack practice.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "out of practices"?

The correct idiom is "out of practice", which means you're not as good at something as you used to be because you haven't done it in a while.

Is "out of practices" grammatically correct?

No, "out of practices" is grammatically incorrect. The proper expression is "out of practice". The term "practice" here is uncountable, referring to skill or expertise gained through repeated action.

How can I use "out of practice" in a sentence?

You can say, "I haven't played the piano in years, so I'm quite out of practice". This indicates that your piano skills have declined due to inactivity.

What are some synonyms for "out of practice"?

Alternatives include "rusty", "lacking practice", or "not practiced". All these phrases convey a diminished skill level due to inactivity.