throw off

verb

threw off; thrown off; throwing off; throws off

transitive verb

1

a

: to free oneself from : get rid of

threw off his inhibitions

b

: to cast off often in a hurried or vigorous manner : abandon

threw off all restraint

c

: distract, divert

dogs thrown off by a false scent

2

: emit, give off

stacks throwing off plumes of smoke

3

: to produce in an offhand manner : execute with speed or facility

… some little … tune that the composer had thrown off …

—James Hilton

4

a

: to cause to depart from an expected or desired course

mistakes threw his calculations off a bit

b

: to cause to make a mistake : mislead

5

: earn, generate

an investment that throws off a sizable income

intransitive verb

1

: to begin hunting

2

: to make derogatory comments

Synonyms of throw off

• distract
• divert

Examples of throw off in a Sentence

the sudden noise just threw me off completely, and I missed my shot

Recent Examples on the Web

Simmons caught an unexpected snap and got the ball to his receiver while fading back and throwing off of his back foot. — Pj Green october 3, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026

But the movement of Earth’s mantle and rocky crust can make some areas denser than others and throw off the planet’s balance. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026

But Paulina’s plans are thrown off when new student Ericka (the emerging star Jasmine Amy Rogers) arrives from America. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

An accident disrupts the ritual, and Keigetsu, thrown off balance, sees her spell spiral out of her control, sending the two women back into each other’s bodies. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Rhymes for throw off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

throw off

verb

: to send out : emit

a sparkler throws off sparks