get off on the wrong foot

Meaning

This phrase means to begin a relationship, project, or interaction badly, often due to a misunderstanding, mistake, or poor first impression. It is widely used in both professional and personal contexts when a relationship begins with tension but has the potential to improve. The tone is neutral and descriptive.

Examples

• I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, so I'd like to apologize and start over.

  I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, so I'd like to apologize and start over.

• The project got off on the wrong foot when the initial design files were lost.

  The project got off on the wrong foot when the initial design files were lost.

• She got off on the wrong foot with her new mother-in-law by arriving late to dinner.

  She got off on the wrong foot with her new mother-in-law by arriving late to dinner.

• Don't worry if you get off on the wrong foot with the new boss; she appreciates hard work.

  Don't worry if you get off on the wrong foot with the new boss; she appreciates hard work.

• Our partnership got off on the wrong foot due to a minor communication breakdown.

  Our partnership got off on the wrong foot due to a minor communication breakdown.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We started on the wrong foot.

  ✓ We got off on the wrong foot.

  While 'started' is understandable, the standard and most natural idiomatic verb used in this phrase is 'got off'.

• ✗ I don't want us to get off on the wrong feet.

  ✓ I don't want us to get off on the wrong foot.

  Even though people have two feet, the idiom always uses the singular 'foot'. Pluralizing it sounds unnatural.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I'm sorry for my rude comment earlier; I don't want us to ___.

  💡 start our relationship badly

  Show answer

  get off on the wrong foot

• The meeting ___ when the projector stopped working in the first minute.

  💡 started poorly (past tense)

  Show answer

  got off on the wrong foot