Throw out meaning
Throw out means to get rid of things you do not want any more. It can also mean to force someone to leave a place, school or group.
throw something out
throw out · threw · thrown · throwing
We threw out a lot of old stuff when we moved.
Throw out meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Get rid of things you do not want any more
throw something out
- We threw out a lot of old stuff when we moved.
- Can I throw these magazines out?
- I never throw out food. I give it to the neighbours.
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2
Force someone to leave a place, school or group
throw somebody or something out
- He was thrown out of the club for fighting.
- Her landlord threw her out for not paying rent.
- If you keep shouting, they’ll throw us out.
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3
Refuse to accept a plan or idea
throw something out
- The judge threw out the case.
- My boss threw out my idea in five seconds.
- Why did the council throw the plan out?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use throw out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is throw out separable?
Throw out is separable: throw out the old shoes, throw the old shoes out. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: throw them out. For people, the passive is very common: He was thrown out.
Add of for the place someone has to leave: thrown out of school, thrown out of the house. Kick out is a more informal way to say this.
Verb tenses for throw out
| Present | I throw out · she throws out |
|---|---|
| Past | threw out |
| Present perfect | have thrown out |
| -ing form | throwing out |
Common mistakes with throw out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: These are broken. Let’s throw out them.
Right: These are broken. Let’s throw them out.
A pronoun goes between throw and out.
Wrong: He was thrown out from the restaurant.
Right: He was thrown out of the restaurant.
Use of for the place someone must leave.
Wrong: She was throwed out of school.
Right: She was thrown out of school.
The past participle is thrown.
Synonyms and opposites of throw out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- throw awayput things in the bin; not used for people
- kick outinformal; force someone to leave
- expelformal; make a student leave a school
Opposite
- keepnot get rid of something
- let inallow someone to enter
Throw out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The flat is full of old furniture. Let’s ___ the broken chairs.
Throw out means get rid of things you don’t want.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use thrown out of before the place.
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3“The judge threw out the case.” What did the judge do?
Throw out a plan or case means refuse to accept it.
More phrasal verbs with throw
2 phrasal verbs start with throw. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Throw out FAQ
Questions people ask about throw out.
Throw out vs throw away: what is the difference?
For things, they mean the same. Only throw out is used for people: She was thrown out of the class.
What does get thrown out mean?
It means be made to leave a place or group. He got thrown out of the game for arguing with the referee.
Is throw out informal?
It is neutral. For people, kick out is more informal and expel is more formal.
Use throw out in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.