lose the plot
(UK, idiomatic, colloquial) To lose sight of an important objective or principle; to act contrarily to one's own interests through concentrating on relatively unimportant matters.
Seen in the wild
Slow down to speed up. That’s one of the quiet rules of living with MS. Rush the day, burn the battery, lose the plot. Pace it right, and more becomes possible. #MultipleSclerosis #MSAwareness
The recruitment last year was much better, united on the right path but will your fans lose the plot when you struggle dealing with midweek games? That will be the test.
Definitions
(UK, idiomatic, colloquial) To lose sight of an important objective or principle; to act contrarily to one's own interests through concentrating on relatively unimportant matters.
Comments
(UK, idiomatic, colloquial) To cease to behave in a consistent or rational manner.
“Slow down to speed up. That’s one of the quiet rules of living with MS. Rush the day, burn the battery, lose the plot. Pace it right, and more becomes possible. #MultipleSclerosis #MSAwareness”
— Bluesky· May 2026“The recruitment last year was much better, united on the right path but will your fans lose the plot when you struggle dealing with midweek games? That will be the test.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
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Other words near "lose the plot" (L)
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