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 thrown off
While foxhunting in Virginia in November 1993, Onassis was thrown off a horse and was subsequently hospitalized.
—
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Duprey, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, lost control, sideswiped a tree and was thrown off the scooter, officials said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
The trailer gives a taste of just how dire the situation is, as Stephanie’s is totally thrown off without her gum.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
We were thrown off a little bit.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
The Cowboys’ offense was one of the best in the NFL this season, but they were mystified and thrown off their game in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Don’t be thrown off by the slight footprint—we’ve got a workhorse on our hands with this one.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2026
The firefighter was thrown off his bike and died at the scene.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
Everybody’s thrown off by that first score (45-10 in late September).
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Duprey, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, lost control, sideswiped a tree and was thrown off the scooter, officials said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
The trailer gives a taste of just how dire the situation is, as Stephanie’s is totally thrown off without her gum.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
We were thrown off a little bit.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
The Cowboys’ offense was one of the best in the NFL this season, but they were mystified and thrown off their game in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Don’t be thrown off by the slight footprint—we’ve got a workhorse on our hands with this one.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2026
The firefighter was thrown off his bike and died at the scene.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
Everybody’s thrown off by that first score (45-10 in late September).
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrown off
Verb
-
They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Yet, the brooms are out, and the cleanup has begun in earnest, creating a sense that NASCAR pushed away the off-track drama that has distracted the league.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Four small planes were diverted by the Air Force after breaching restricted airspace around the stadium, but the aircraft were never considered threats.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The revelation raised concerns about conflicts of interest in American foreign policy, especially given the scrutiny surrounding the US-UAE chip deal over worries the tech could be diverted to China.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrown off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrown%20off. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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