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

Several key mistakes could throw off the accuracy of blood pressure readings for people who take them at home. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025

Some of these Californians in homes that burnt like this were thrown off of their policies, their fire policies – GOV. —NBC News, 12 Jan. 2025

Spotting: This refers to how fires can throw off sparks that drift in the air, then settle, igniting additional fires — known as spot fires. —Gary Robbins, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025

The settlement closes the chapter on an unsuccessful effort by Florida’s largest State Attorney’s Office to bring in a reformer in the aftermath of an ethics crisis, during which prosecutors were thrown off a death penalty case and accused of misconduct. —Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025

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