throw·away
ˈthrō-ə-ˌwā 
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
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
threw away; thrown away; throwing away; throws away
1
a
: to get rid of as worthless or unnecessary
b
2
3
: to make (something, such as a line in a play) unemphatic by casual delivery
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
EW.com, 6 May 2025
That alone should set the alarm bells ringing as PayPal would obviously not be sending you a critical security notification using a throwaway Gmail address.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
That’s not Disney embracing gay relationships but simply yet another throwaway nod in a script that mines every possible Greek trope for one-off jokes.
—David Benedict, Variety, 24 June 2025
Monroe Hammond, EverydayHealth.com, 8 July 2025
For each meal purchased during Louisville Restaurant Week, $1 will be donated to Feed Louisville, a nonprofit that saves food from being thrown away and repurposes it into meals for the local homeless and food insecure community.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for throwaway
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Adjective
Valak, the demon that manifests as this Satanic holy woman who originated as a potentially throwaway character.
—EW.com, 6 May 2025
That alone should set the alarm bells ringing as PayPal would obviously not be sending you a critical security notification using a throwaway Gmail address.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
Hellman’s true feelings about the difference between theater and cinema, though, might be best revealed in a seeming throwaway line in the first scene of The Children’s Hour.
—Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
That’s not Disney embracing gay relationships but simply yet another throwaway nod in a script that mines every possible Greek trope for one-off jokes.
—David Benedict, Variety, 24 June 2025
Verb
The recalled turkey bacon should be thrown away or returned to where it was purchased.
—Monroe Hammond, EverydayHealth.com, 8 July 2025
For each meal purchased during Louisville Restaurant Week, $1 will be donated to Feed Louisville, a nonprofit that saves food from being thrown away and repurposes it into meals for the local homeless and food insecure community.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for throwaway
Cite this Entry
“Throwaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throwaway. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
throwaway
1 of 3 noun
throw·away
ˈthrō-ə-ˌwā
: something that is or is designed to be thrown away especially after one use
throwaway
2 of 3 adjective
throw·away
ˌthrō-ə-ˌwā
: designed to be thrown away : disposable
throwaway cans and bottles
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