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

And pieces that aren't the right size for a certain room can throw off the whole look and feel of the space. — Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, "3 Design "Rules" You Don't Need To Follow Anymore," 15 Nov. 2018 According to nearly final results by the state electoral commission, turnout was 54.6 percent, a historic high in local elections since Poland threw off communism in 1989, suggesting many have been mobilized in these divisive times. — Vanessa Gera, The Seattle Times, "Poland’s ruling populists see power, appeal checked," 22 Oct. 2018 Getting closer Left-hander Robbie Ray, working his way back from a right oblique strain, threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on Monday and will throw off the mound again on Wednesday, Lovullo said. — Nick Piecoro, azcentral, "Diamondbacks’ A.J. Pollock, Steven Souza still limited in rehab work," 4 June 2018 Her friends and family were thrown off by the size of the fake rock, which solidified even further that her real ring was the perfect one for her. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, "This is Why Joanna Gaines Will Never Upgrade Her Engagement Ring," 18 June 2018 On a recent flight on Delta, I was already thrown off by the new deep purple crew uniforms, designed by Zac Posen. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "Delta's Latest Safety Video Is All About the Uniforms," 23 Aug. 2018 Though the sultry cycle is indeed well documented across women, it’s easily thrown off, and the erratic temperature swings can be difficult to interpret. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "“Natural” birth-control app dogged by unwanted pregnancies gets FDA approval," 15 Aug. 2018 The ponds that retain water from the snowmelt in the mountains dry up and the herd’s gestation cycles get thrown off. — Josh Haner, National Geographic, "The Last Cowboys: A Cattle-Ranching Family Fights to Survive," 29 June 2018 And on June 12th, Philippine independence day, Mr Duterte was thrown off guard by protests over Chinese seizures of fish from Filipino vessels near Scarborough Shoal. — The Economist, "China has militarised the South China Sea and got away with it," 21 June 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.