diff --git a/news/9789.removal.rst b/news/9789.removal.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..90ded923507
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/9789.removal.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove the ability to use ``pip list --outdated`` in combination with ``--format=freeze``.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/list.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/list.py
index a9b08a0bc88..8e1426dbb6c 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/list.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/list.py
@@ -155,6 +155,11 @@ def run(self, options: Values, args: List[str]) -> int:
         if options.outdated and options.uptodate:
             raise CommandError("Options --outdated and --uptodate cannot be combined.")
 
+        if options.outdated and options.list_format == "freeze":
+            raise CommandError(
+                "List format 'freeze' can not be used with the --outdated option."
+            )
+
         cmdoptions.check_list_path_option(options)
 
         skip = set(stdlib_pkgs)
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_list.py b/tests/functional/test_list.py
index c799aabd255..c7fdec2f2fc 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_list.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_list.py
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ def test_outdated_formats(script: PipTestEnvironment, data: TestData) -> None:
     assert "Package Version Latest Type" in result.stdout
     assert "simple  1.0     1.1    wheel" in result.stdout
 
-    # Check freeze
+    # Check that freeze is not allowed
     result = script.pip(
         "list",
         "--no-index",
@@ -585,8 +585,12 @@ def test_outdated_formats(script: PipTestEnvironment, data: TestData) -> None:
         wheelhouse_path,
         "--outdated",
         "--format=freeze",
+        expect_error=True,
+    )
+    assert (
+        "List format 'freeze' can not be used with the --outdated option."
+        in result.stderr
     )
-    assert "simple==1.0" in result.stdout
 
     # Check json
     result = script.pip(