Region: General | Usage example: He was a square peg in a round hole on the production floor.

Square peg in a round hole

Meaning

Someone who does not fit into a situation or role.

Critiques forced assignments or misfit careers.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Literal image of forcing a square shape into a circular hole.

Used in British essays of the 1800s and still quoted in leadership books.