throw out

verb

threw out; thrown out; throwing out; throws out

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove from a place, office, or employment usually in a sudden or unexpected manner

b

: to get rid of as worthless or unnecessary

2

: to give expression to : utter

… threw out a remark … that utterly confounded him.

—Jean Stafford

3

: to dismiss from acceptance or consideration : reject

the testimony was thrown out

4

: to make visible or manifest : display

… the signal was thrown out for the … fleet to prepare for action …

—Archibald Duncan

5

: to leave behind : outdistance

6

: to give forth from within : emit

7

a

: to send out

b

: to cause to project : extend

8

: confuse, disconcert

… automobiles in line blocking the road … threw the whole schedule out.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

9

: to cause to stand out : make prominent

10

: to make a throw that enables a teammate to put out (a base runner)

see also:

throw out the baby with the bathwater

Synonyms of throw out

• out
• chase
• eject
• dismiss
• cast out
• kick out
• banish
• run off
• turn out

Examples of throw out in a Sentence

the player was thrown out of the game after assaulting the ref

would you mind if I threw out that leftover pizza that's been in the fridge for two weeks?

Recent Examples on the Web

Abreu came through again with a sacrifice fly to score Jarren Duran in the bottom of the inning, but the potential Red Sox rally was hampered after Willson Contreras was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double for the inning’s first out. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026

The high court last month voted 6-3 to throw out a congressional map in Louisiana that had been drawn to protect the voting power of Black residents, a decision that limits the landmark civil rights law. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 8 May 2026

Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims last month, and the two sides issued a joint statement on Monday in lieu of taking the remaining claims to a federal trial. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 7 May 2026

Millikan provided the Indians’ a CIF checklist of sorts by throwing out three runners on the bases and drawing five walks. —Dan Albano, Oc Register, 7 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for throw out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

throw out

verb

1

: to reject or get rid of as worthless or unnecessary : throw away

2

: to remove from a place, position, or participation