as in distracted
to draw the attention or mind to something else
the sudden noise just threw me off completely, and I missed my shot
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Recent Examples of threw off
That threw off the Dolphins offense to the point, even now, offensive coordinator Dave Shula remembers not adjusting quickly enough.
—
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
In the five decades since Portugal threw off its fascist dictatorship, a presidential election has only once before — in 1986 — required a runoff, highlighting how fragmented the political landscape has become with the rise of the far-right and voter disenchantment with mainstream parties.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
That quick interior pressure threw off the timing of an offense that requires it.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
That did not happen in my house, where the workdays were long, everyone’s calendars were packed and a bad cold threw off our schedule for a week.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
In the five decades since Portugal threw off its fascist dictatorship, a presidential election has only once before — in 1986 — required a runoff, highlighting how fragmented the political landscape has become with the rise of the far-right and voter disenchantment with mainstream parties.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
That quick interior pressure threw off the timing of an offense that requires it.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
That did not happen in my house, where the workdays were long, everyone’s calendars were packed and a bad cold threw off our schedule for a week.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threw off
Verb
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In his monologue, Gosling began going through the motions of singing a song about Earth (with a planetary model hanging down as a visual) before getting distracted by pop star Harry Styles in the front row.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Trump successfully distracted some MAGA folks from the Epstein case and the possibility that someone who accused him of foul play might be legit.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Less than a minute later, an officer assigned to the race returned to the intersection -- and a police motorcycle raced to catch the four runners who were diverted, and send them back onto the course.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
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While 16 vessels are waiting for clearance or instructions on their next move, 43 already diverted to alternate ports.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Threw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threw%20off. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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