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 himJean 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 actionArchibald 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 outF. 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)
Phrases
throw out the baby with the bathwater
: to discard or lose something useful or beneficial in the process of discarding or rejecting something unwanted

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 If Trump and the other defendants manage to overturn McAfee's decision, the underlying case could be thrown out entirely, or given to another DA's office in the state to start from scratch, Cunningham said. Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 But Granada threw out back-to-back batters at first base, to get out of the inning with minimal damage. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Continue reading … ‘EMBARRASSING’ – CNN's Honig rips Fani Willis' 'screwup' that led to judge throwing out six counts against Trump. Fox News, 14 Mar. 2024 The defense asked for the smaller bond amount while the judge ultimately ruled on the former president’s request that the verdict be thrown out. Ben Protess, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 First pitch Last Friday, Bain threw out the first pitch before the Hurricanes played Florida in baseball. Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Case’s journey through courts The case has bounced around in the federal courts for years, been thrown out and revived. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 The company responded this week, arguing that the case should be thrown out on procedural grounds, including bringing the claims too late, but didn’t deny Hall’s accusations. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2024 What’s more, if there is no contract, then Musk probably doesn’t have standing to sue and his case could well be thrown out of court. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'throw out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of throw out was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Throw out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20out. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on throw out

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