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

Baserunning blunders The Marlins have had more runners thrown out on the bases than any other team, including a dumbfounding one Friday when Deyvison De Los Santos inexplicably took off from second on a ground ball hit to shortstop. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2026

In 2024, the court rejected an emergency request from Nicaragua to order Germany to halt military and other aid to Israel in Gaza, but the 16-judge panel declined to throw out the case altogether. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

After that miracle, the Wolverines won the game (asterisk) on a second Hail Mary attempt after the first was thrown out of the back of the end zone and showed the game clock at zero before anyone touched the ball. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Skenes also got a big play from the Pirates’ defense in the fifth inning when Zach Neto was thrown out trying to score the tying run from first base on Mike Trout’s two-out double. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 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