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

Despite his struggles, Kershaw still attempted to rehab the injury throughout September, even throwing off a mound while wearing protective gear on his left foot. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

Economic shifts, unexpected crises and rapidly changing market conditions can throw off even the most advanced models. —Andre Shojaie, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

The only way to spoof the tool, used by commercial customers, would be to create planet-sized rock formations to throw off the natural wave signals. —Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024

Facing third-and-10, Nix threw off his back feet to beat Saints pressure but his pass fell short. —Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Kids Definition

throw off

verb

: to send out : emit

a sparkler throws off sparks