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

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About throw off

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 But the overarching theme has been the same — learning how to throw off balance, or to adjust quickly in and out of the pocket. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 July 2022 Guillermo Rodriguez, the show’s security guard, also attempted to throw off competitors. — Timothy Fanning, San Antonio Express-News, 17 June 2022 After shooting his wife and daughter, Jalonni Blackshear lied to friends and family about their whereabouts and created an elaborate scheme intended to throw off law enforcement officers, officials said. — Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 8 June 2022 Throws shifty upper body jukes to throw off defenders one-on-one. — Kyle Woodlief, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 And some accounts are run by humans who appear to intentionally mimic computer behavior to throw off other users. — Clare Duffy, CNN, 17 June 2022 During the trial, prosecutors posited that Crampton Brophy had replaced the gun’s barrel and then discarded it to throw off investigators. — María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 14 June 2022 Willis said Civale could throw off the mound this weekend when the team is in Baltimore. — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 1 June 2022 Milroe got the throw off in time, perhaps with some help from Robinson having to intentionally miss the quarterback. — Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 18 Apr. 2022 See More

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.