throw off

verb

Definition of throw off

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

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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

The lawyer for Quinton Tellis, accused of killing 19-year-old Jessica Chambers in 2014, wants District Attorney John Champion thrown off the case. — Jeff Amy, The Seattle Times, "Defense lawyer: Prosecutor tried to coach false testimony," 3 July 2018 Save a seat for the guy who essentially was thrown off a team during a playoff series for being a troublemaker. — Bill Plaschke, latimes.com, "Lakers' new signings surround LeBron James with a cast of oddballs," 3 July 2018 The Suns drafted DeAndre Ayton the night before, so that may have thrown off the Coyotes. — azcentral, "NHL draft grades: Mixed reviews for Arizona Coyotes' 2018 NHL draft picks?," 25 June 2018 In addition to the nausea and vomiting, scientists speculate appetite loss is also due to systemic stress that throws off the hormones that regulate hunger. — Brad Stulberg, Outside Online, "What Happens to Your Body When You Climb Everest," 11 June 2018 The guys who stand up, lean one way or the other and raise their hands, that throws off a horse’s balance. — Tim Layden, SI.com, "Trainer Bob Baffert, Justify Jockey Mike Smith Relish a Remarkable Ride Before Belmont Stakes," 6 June 2018 In the middle of a slavish interview on the Fox Business channel this morning, Kudlow asserted that the economy is: throwing off [an] enormous amount of new tax revenues. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Always-Wrong Economist Lawrence Kudlow Wrongly Says Deficit Is Falling," 29 June 2018 The former owners had inserted walls that threw off the symmetry, including the balance of the plaster ceiling medallions where Adelman’s chandeliers would, of course, take center stage. — Nancy Hass, ELLE Decor, "Lindsey Adelman's Park Slope Home Doubles as a Constantly Revolving Showcase," 27 Apr. 2018 First things first: a primer on how yeast infections can throw off your vagina’s game. — Lindsey Lanquist, SELF, "Is It Safe to Have Sex With a Yeast Infection?," 16 Feb. 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.