runaway train
Out-of-control railcar
A runaway train is a train moving without control, having lost its brakes or engineer.
The phrase commonly appears as a metaphor for any situation that has spiraled beyond control and cannot be stopped: The project became a runaway train—over budget and impossible to rein in.
Once the rumors started, it was a runaway train.
- locomotiveRailway pulling machine
- derailForce off course
- crashSudden violent impact
- speedingExceeding posted velocity limits
- high speedRapid rate of motion
tracks · brakes · emergency brake · lost control · collision · momentum · unstoppable · freight · caboose · whistle · steam · full steam ahead · wheels · disaster · hurtling · panic · emergency · close call
- momentumbuilding momentum, gain traction, gaining traction, gaining steam, gather steam
- accelerationaccelerate, acceleration, accelerating, speed up, speeding up
- escalationescalation, escalate, ratchet up, worsen, intensify
runaway trainunder control
Being successfully managed
well-oiled machine · steady course · tight ship · in hand · slow and steady
runaway traincalm waters
Undisturbed body of liquid
equilibrium · steady state · smooth sailing · clear skies · even keel
away, train, running, runner, runners, runny, overrun, trains, trained