Out of pocket is a phrase with three different common meanings. It can refer to a person having to pay for something themselves, a person being unreachable, or a person acting unnaturally or in a wild, inappropriate way. When talking about money, a person who is paying out of pocket is making a payment with their own money. Nobody else, such as an insurance company, is paying the cost for them. This usage of out of pocket is not typically considered to be slang and is familiar to most people. Example: My insurance doesn’t cover tornado damage, so the payment for the roof will come out of pocket. Out of pocket can also mean unavailable or unreachable. For example, a person who is on vacation from work and isn’t answering any calls or emails would be out of pocket to their coworkers. This usage of out of pocket is more common among older generations. Example: Dr. Jones couldn’t perform the surgery this week because she was traveling out of the country and was out of pocket. Finally, out of pocket can refer to a person acting out of character or acting in a way that is wildly inappropriate. For example, a birthday clown who is being mean to children and using offensive language would likely be described as acting out of pocket. This usage of out of pocket is popular among younger generations. Example: My brother can’t help himself from being out of pocket on social media. I’m surprised he hasn’t been banned yet.