throw down

verb

threw down; thrown down; throwing down; throws down

transitive verb

1

: to cause to fall : overthrow

2

: precipitate

3

: to cast off : discard

4

: to make (a slam dunk) with exceptional force

Synonyms

• depress
• drop
• lower
• throw

Examples of throw down in a Sentence

throw down the gun, and put your hands up

Recent Examples on the Web

But Aaron Nesmith threw down a dunk, and Donovan Mitchell was called for an offensive foul two seconds later. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2025

Over the past four seasons, the league-wide meatball rate is 7.4 percent, meaning one out of every 13.5 pitches gets thrown down the middle. —Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 2 May 2025

With the al Qaeda leader's body in U.S. custody and the SEALs back in friendly airspace, the Obama administration — still riding high from the rave reviews in the media over the prior night's comedic throw down — could breathe a sigh of relief. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Carter threw down one of the most spectacular dunks of the season on a behind-the-back pass from Malik Monk after Monk came up with a deflection and a steal early in the second quarter. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for throw down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown