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
Those headaches were worth it when scaled media businesses threw off gushers of cash and provided a cultural imprimatur that few other assets could.
—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
The Wolverines threw off their gloves and swarmed each other on the infield to celebrate.
—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Quarterback Carson Beck threw off his back foot.
—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Mauricio threw off his helmet and ran into center field before being caught by teammates, who swarmed him and doused him with water on a windy day at Citi Field.
—
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
The lefty first threw off flat ground and then a bit off a mound.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Wearing her running blade during farmer carries threw off her balance.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
Two hours before Thursday night’s Cactus League game, Snell threw off the mound in front of a group of reporters and fans at Camelback Ranch.
—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 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
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
The Wolverines threw off their gloves and swarmed each other on the infield to celebrate.
—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Quarterback Carson Beck threw off his back foot.
—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Mauricio threw off his helmet and ran into center field before being caught by teammates, who swarmed him and doused him with water on a windy day at Citi Field.
—
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
The lefty first threw off flat ground and then a bit off a mound.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Wearing her running blade during farmer carries threw off her balance.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
Two hours before Thursday night’s Cactus League game, Snell threw off the mound in front of a group of reporters and fans at Camelback Ranch.
—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threw off
Verb
-
Getting distracted by a late-stage bombshell would feel disingenuous at this point.
-
My will is scattered, directed toward many contradictory things, and easily distracted.
Verb
-
Now, that excess gets diverted into the Austerlitz basin instead, where it’s held deep underground until the weather clears, then pumped gradually to treatment plants outside the city.
-
Hotels are offering 50% discounts, schools, mosques and sports halls have been prepared to house mourners, and bus and rail networks are being diverted to serve the main events.
Cite this Entry
“Threw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threw%20off. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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