throw off

verb

threw off; thrown off; throwing off; throws off

transitive verb

1

a

: 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

4

a

: 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 of throw off

• distract
• divert

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

At times, his lower half was opening too quickly, throwing off the way his legs worked with his upper half. —Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026

The mini bike driver was thrown off the vehicle. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026

Too much sweetness will overpower the bright citrus flavor, and too much tart throws off the creamy balance that makes Key lime pie so iconic. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 30 May 2026

Sandburg pitcher Lucas Rosas wasn’t about to be thrown off by a change in his routine. —Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Rhymes for throw off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

throw off

verb

: to send out : emit

a sparkler throws off sparks