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throw off

verb
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threw off; thrown off; throwing off; throws off

Definition of throw off

transitive verb

1a : 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
4a : 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
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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 Hogan has seen many cases where people forget an expense, like pet food, which can throw off the budget. — Giana Han, al, "Experts share tips on why and how to budget," 10 June 2020 That said, the optimistic Bechtol said the course could be open for play in late September or early October if excessive rain doesn’t throw off the grassing plans again. — Mark Kazlowski, Dallas News, "Texas Rangers Golf Club in Arlington tops The News’ list of new courses for 2020," 6 June 2020 Lipsitch said because the mortality rate varies based on a person's medical risks, finding the rate can be a challenge because sampling cases incorrectly can throw off the calculation. — Ian Richardson, USA TODAY, "Fact check: CDC's estimates COVID-19 death rate around 0.26%, doesn't confirm it," 5 June 2020 Families aren’t thrown off by a uniformed officer bringing them schoolwork, Chavez added. — Krista Torralva, ExpressNews.com, "San Antonio schools closed by coronavirus work to keep their students from falling off the map," 30 Apr. 2020 But Comer finds her character's look at its best when she's thrown off-kilter; forced into a fashion corner of sorts, when Villanelle must wear some of the most laughable and memorable outfits of the series. — Neha Prakash, Marie Claire, "Jodie Comer on Playing TV's Chicest (and Cheekiest) Assassin," 26 Apr. 2020 Deluca said he was thrown off the team after his report. — David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, "Archive papers show doctor’s ties to Bo Schembechler’s Michigan football program," 9 Mar. 2020 March 8, 201901:09 The nurse has admitted to helping Frazee cover up Berreth's slaying by taking the victim's cell phone to Idaho to throw off investigators, authorities said. — NBC News, "Patrick Frazee planning to blame girlfriend for Kelsey Berreth's murder," 19 Sep. 2019 The Winchester High number one doesn’t commit a single double fault in the set and stays patient at the baseline, hitting wide angles and switching between topspin and flat shots to throw off her opponent, letting her make the mistakes. — Matt Case, BostonGlobe.com, "Winchester’s Thompson takes place among tennis contenders," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'throw off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of throw off

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

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Time Traveler for throw off

Time Traveler

The first known use of throw off was in the 15th century

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Statistics for throw off

Last Updated

16 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Throw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20off. Accessed 13 Jul. 2020.

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More from Merriam-Webster on throw off

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for throw off

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with throw off

Nglish: Translation of throw off for Spanish Speakers

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