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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But the table is so congested that putting any kind of winning run together could make a real difference while the teams above them are distracted by European commitments.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Clearly, that’s to capture those kids still off from school versus the fall, when they’re distracted with myriad school activities.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Traffic was diverted away from the area, but there was no danger to the public, Gonzalez said.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
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But trade was diverted away from China.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Threw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threw%20off. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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