throw out

verb

threw out; thrown out; throwing out; throws out

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove from a place, office, or employment usually in a sudden or unexpected manner

b

: to get rid of as worthless or unnecessary

2

: to give expression to : utter

… threw out a remark … that utterly confounded him.

—Jean Stafford

3

: to dismiss from acceptance or consideration : reject

the testimony was thrown out

4

: to make visible or manifest : display

… the signal was thrown out for the … fleet to prepare for action …

—Archibald Duncan

5

: to leave behind : outdistance

6

: to give forth from within : emit

7

a

: to send out

b

: to cause to project : extend

8

: confuse, disconcert

… automobiles in line blocking the road … threw the whole schedule out.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

9

: to cause to stand out : make prominent

10

: to make a throw that enables a teammate to put out (a base runner)

see also throw out the baby with the bathwater

Synonyms of throw out

• out
• chase
• eject
• dismiss
• cast out
• kick out
• banish
• run off
• turn out

Examples of throw out in a Sentence

the player was thrown out of the game after assaulting the ref

would you mind if I threw out that leftover pizza that's been in the fridge for two weeks?

Recent Examples on the Web

Eleven bags of tamales had sat on the counter for six hours, warmed up to more than 75 degrees and had to be thrown out. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025

Additional surveillance footage presented in court showed someone throwing out trash bags at dumpsters on multiple days in early January 2023. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2025

This is not the first time someone has sued O’Hare or the county after being thrown out. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Dec. 2025

But courts have thrown out initial charges against Comey and James, and grand juries have refused to indict them again. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for throw out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

throw out

verb

1

: to reject or get rid of as worthless or unnecessary : throw away

2

: to remove from a place, position, or participation