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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of thrown off
The ecosystem gets really thrown off, and often for years and years, for a lifetime, especially if a person just doesn’t take to any treatment or can get well.
—
A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Videos taken on board the Carnival Panorama earlier this week show dishes sliding off tables in the dining room, water emerging out of an elevator, merchandise thrown off their displays and children screaming.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The motorcyclist was thrown off his bike, according to police.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025
And don’t be thrown off when a few seconds later, there is an isolated laugh when that lone guy in the back of the room suddenly got the joke.
—Jay Sullivan, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The driver and passenger on the bike were both thrown off.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
The sheriff's office said an initial investigation revealed Mexicano struck the SUV and was thrown off the motorcycle about 50 yards onto the freeway.
—Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 18 Aug. 2025
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t get thrown off.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Videos taken on board the Carnival Panorama earlier this week show dishes sliding off tables in the dining room, water emerging out of an elevator, merchandise thrown off their displays and children screaming.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The motorcyclist was thrown off his bike, according to police.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025
And don’t be thrown off when a few seconds later, there is an isolated laugh when that lone guy in the back of the room suddenly got the joke.
—Jay Sullivan, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The driver and passenger on the bike were both thrown off.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
The sheriff's office said an initial investigation revealed Mexicano struck the SUV and was thrown off the motorcycle about 50 yards onto the freeway.
—Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 18 Aug. 2025
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t get thrown off.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrown off
Verb
-
No smear campaign distracted them.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Toward the end of the first set and beginning of the second, Anisimova appeared distracted by the lights and the roof, which were closed due to heavy rain in New York.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The incident caused a lengthy closure of southbound lanes of I-15 as the shooting was investigated, with vehicles initially being diverted to SR-163 on Friday evening.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
-
While the process looks different today, and much is diverted to more modern structures like shopping malls, water diversion in places such as Maui used to be laid out naturally flowing from the mountains to the ocean in land division called ahupuaʻa.—
Jessica Rendall,
Space.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thrown off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrown%20off. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share