losing control
Wheels coming off
Losing control describes the failure to maintain command over something—a vehicle, a situation, one's emotions, or one's behavior.
The phrase implies a process rather than a state: She felt herself losing control of the car on the ice.
It often signals escalation toward crisis: The argument was losing control.
Applied to emotions, it suggests overwhelm: He was losing control, tears streaming down his face.
The phrase can describe voluntary surrender as much as involuntary collapse: Sometimes you have to risk losing control to feel alive.
- helplessUnable to act independently
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
- spinning outUncontrolled rotational skid
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
- powerlessLacking strength or authority
nervous breakdown · chaos · impulsive · frustrated · panic · white knuckle · on the edge · erratic · coming undone · paralysis · crumbling · falling apart · trembling · clumsiness · despair · dizziness · blackout · spasms
- extreme reactionsfreakout, meltdown, hysteria, panic, outrage
- letting loosecutting loose, letting go, going wild, going crazy, running wild
- teaching mistakesplaying favorites, unclear instructions, lack of feedback, public shaming, impatience
- meltdownsnuclear meltdown, reactor meltdown, meltdown, freak out, snapping
- consciousness statesunconscious, conscious, awake, alert, sleep
- violent urgesbloodlust, violent outburst, blind rage, berserker rage, murderous intent
losing controlself-control
Ability to restrain impulses
keeping it together · holding it together · self-discipline · self-mastery · willpower
losing controltaking control
Assuming leadership or dominance
in control · taking charge · running the show · calling the shots · holding the reins
losing controlunflappable
Impossible to disturb
collected · level-headed · even-keeled · poised · cool-headed
losing, loser, losers, lost, losses, control, controls, controlled, controlling