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

• abstract
• call off
• detract
• 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

Strider has been out three weeks since straining his right hamstring, but kept his arm in shape initially throwing off a knee while the leg healed. —David O'Brien, New York Times, 13 May 2025

Linda is thrown off the cliff (a scene that is both grotesque and endlessly ridiculous). —Hannah Madlener, Glamour, 2 May 2025

The scooter riders, a 44-year-old Christmas man and a 42-year-old Orlando woman, were thrown off the bike and into the median. —Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2025

Now, Weight Watchers isn’t exactly facing bankruptcy because people everywhere are suddenly looking inward and agreeing to throw off the shackles of compulsory thinness. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 15 Apr. 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