throw off
verb
threw off; thrown off; throwing off; throws off
1
3
: to produce in an offhand manner : execute with speed or facility
… some little … tune that the composer had thrown off …—
James Hilton
James Hilton4
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
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 superstar appears alongside Robert Pattinson in the A24 film, which follows an engaged couple whose wedding week is thrown off the rails after one of them reveals a big secret.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Late edits to a speech, and the resulting changes to the words on the screen, threaten to throw off his delivery.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
The final stage was supposed to be maximum effort, which meant beginning at an all-out sprint and gradually slowing the treadmill down just enough to avoid being thrown off the back.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
That level of anticipation — highly unusual for a March 6 matchup featuring one team that is well outside playoff contention — seemed to throw off both teams’ shooters in the early going.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throw off
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Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Late edits to a speech, and the resulting changes to the words on the screen, threaten to throw off his delivery.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
The final stage was supposed to be maximum effort, which meant beginning at an all-out sprint and gradually slowing the treadmill down just enough to avoid being thrown off the back.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
That level of anticipation — highly unusual for a March 6 matchup featuring one team that is well outside playoff contention — seemed to throw off both teams’ shooters in the early going.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throw off
Cite this Entry
“Throw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20off. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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