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
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
That quick interior pressure threw off the timing of an offense that requires it.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
That did not happen in my house, where the workdays were long, everyone’s calendars were packed and a bad cold threw off our schedule for a week.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
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
That quick interior pressure threw off the timing of an offense that requires it.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
That did not happen in my house, where the workdays were long, everyone’s calendars were packed and a bad cold threw off our schedule for a week.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threw off
Verb
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Portland couldn’t figure out how to pass off help assignments to deal with the downhill speed of San Antonio’s guards and wings, with the Blazers’ centers distracted on the perimeter.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The report also indicated the driver of the black truck was not suspected of being on drugs or alcohol and was not distracted when the crash happened.—
Steve Maugeri,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly thereafter, all of the engineering and technological work that had been devoted to the development of television since the mid-1920s was diverted to military purposes to support the war effort.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Police say traffic in the area has been diverted.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Threw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threw%20off. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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