Meaning of the word "go off the rails" in English

What does "go off the rails" mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

go off the rails

US /ɡoʊ ɔf ðə reɪlz/
UK /ɡəʊ ɒf ðə reɪlz/
"go off the rails" picture

Idiom

to start behaving in a way that is not acceptable or expected, especially in a wild or uncontrolled way

Example:
After his parents' divorce, he really started to go off the rails.
The project seemed to go off the rails when the main manager left.