throwaway

adjective

throw·away | \ˈthrō-ə-ˌwā

Definition of throwaway

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : designed to be thrown away : disposable throwaway containers

2 : written or spoken (as in a play) in a low-key or unemphatic manner throwaway lines

3 : nonchalant, casual

4 : marked by a tendency to discard things : overly wasteful a throwaway society

throwaway

noun

Definition of throwaway (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : one that is or is designed to be thrown away: such as

a : a free handbill or circular

b : a line of dialogue (as in a play) de-emphasized by casual delivery especially : a joke or witticism delivered casually

2 : something made or done without care or interest

3 : a child who has been forced to leave home or who has run away from indifferent or hostile parents

throw away

verb

Definition of throw away (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to get rid of as worthless or unnecessary

b : discard sense 2b

2a : to use in a foolish or wasteful manner : squander

b : to fail to take advantage of : waste throw away an opportunity

3 : to make (something, such as a line in a play) unemphatic by casual delivery

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about throwaway

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Examples of throwaway in a Sentence

Verb

I should throw away that torn shirt. if you buy a high-end computer, you'll just be throwing away money on a bunch of features you'll never use

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

And here is yet again a tableau featuring nonwhite characters — Chinese workers who’ve come to the U.S. to help build the transcontinental railroad — that the show reduces to either set dressing or a throwaway moment of shock and horror. — William Lee, chicagotribune.com, "‘Westworld’ Episode 4 recap: 5 things to know about ‘The Riddle of the Sphinx’," 14 May 2018 Fluff like this is a, well, inspired choice – the theatrical equivalent of a throwaway beach novel. — Matthew J. Palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'Xanadu' glitters with goofiness at the Garden," 7 July 2018 But the Heat, right or wrong, also have shown a belief that James Johnson, Dion Waiters and others signed in the interim are more than throwaway additions. — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "ASK IRA: Are the Heat planning to go with all-guard lineups?," 2 July 2018 The ban has already caused the EU to consider a tax on throwaway plastics. — Ellen Airhart, WIRED, "China Won’t Solve the World’s Plastics Problem Any More," 20 June 2018 A few days after the party, those plastic yo-yos and other throwaway toys start to look like junk. — Allyson Shaw, National Geographic, "Reducing Plastic as a Family Is Easy. Here's How.," 4 June 2018 That way, companies signal that diversity is not a throwaway issue, but a core part of their mission going forward. — chicagotribune.com, "Why one-day diversity training like Starbucks did is not enough," 1 June 2018 Obviously, Arcade and Domino’s eternal enmity for each other was more of a throwaway line in the second story of an Annual that very few people remember. — Chris Sims, The Verge, "Domino deserves a spinoff film, and there are amazing comic stories to mine," 24 May 2018 That’s my takeaway from the recent controversy that began with a throwaway line from a recent interview the country superstar did with the Guardian. — Michael Smerconish, Philly.com, "Shania Twain apologized for her Trump comments; that don't impress me much | Michael Smerconish," 25 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But in the popular imagination, his name is most commonly associated with one simple, three-word question, originally meant as a throwaway joke to amuse a group of scientists discussing UFOs at the Los Alamos lab in 1950: Where is everybody? — Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, "But, Seriously, Where Is Everybody?," 22 June 2018 Some of his throwaway observations, like the shot of a kid sniffing a highlighter pen in class, feel like something out of a wildlife documentary. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Review: Bo Burnham's 'Eighth Grade' is a beautifully honest portrait of adolescent girlhood," 11 July 2018 But Japan’s throwaway housing culture, shaped by a once-urgent need to house growing numbers, makes no sense now that the population is shrinking. — The Economist, "Why Japanese houses have such limited lifespans," 15 Mar. 2018 The throwaway domestic bits are the best: Jack-Jack double-patting his father awake, when Bob conks out during the bedtime storybook, for example. — Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Incredibles 2' review: Piling on the action in a 14-years-later sequel," 11 June 2018 Grenier has been working on educating the public about the problems with plastic straws and other throwaway items through his Lonely Whale foundation. — National Geographic, "Actor Adrian Grenier Is Cutting Out Plastic. Here's How You Can, Too.," 5 June 2018 That's six shots taken in 19 drafts, post-Marino: Two late-round throwaways, three consecutive wasted second-round picks, and the first-round Tannehill gamble. — Greg Cote, miamiherald, "Dolphins have fallen to last in AFC East by the one gauge that should concern fans most | Miami Herald," 30 Apr. 2018 And there’s always the throwaways: twelve of the thirteen Laurens, any woman of color not highlighted on night one, the woman who owns a spray tan company. — Justin Kirkland, USA TODAY, "'Bachelor' premiere recap: Chelsea wastes no time becoming the season's villain," 1 Jan. 2018 There have been episodes where the only mention of him is a throwaway sentence to explain his absence. — refinery29.com, "5 Things To Keep In Mind While Watching The Americans Tonight," 30 May 2018

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