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

The Cowboys’ offense was one of the best in the NFL this season, but they were mystified and thrown off their game in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings. —Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026

The spin is being closely watched as a statement on the future of cable, which throws off significant cash but has been in rapid decline as viewers migrate to streaming. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026

Less light exposure during the winter months shifts your biological clock, throwing off your hormones, mood, and sleep. —Marisa McMillan, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025

Plus, how Seyfried and director Paul Feig worked behind the scenes to throw off costar Sydney Sweeney. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Dec. 2025

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