1 A2 neutral
To return something physically by throwing it back.
"She caught the ball and immediately threw it back across the net."
separable
throw it back
B2 informal separable transitive
To return something physically or verbally with force; or (slang) to dance by rolling and thrusting the hips.
In plain English
To throw something back where it came from; or in modern slang, a way of describing a specific style of dancing.
What does "throw it back" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 informal
To return a criticism, comment, or challenge to the person who made it.
"Every accusation he made, she threw it back at him with evidence to the contrary."
separable
3 C1 idiomatic slang
(Slang, hip-hop/dance culture) To perform a dance move involving rolling or bouncing the hips in a particular way.
"The crowd went crazy when she started throwing it back on the dance floor."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To throw an object back in the direction it came from.
Actually means
To throw something back where it came from; or in modern slang, a way of describing a specific style of dancing.
Usage tip
In contemporary informal/slang usage, particularly in hip-hop culture, 'throw it back' refers to a provocative dance move involving rolling the hips. The phrase is widely used in song lyrics and social media. In more standard usage, it simply means returning something by throwing.
Words that pair with "throw it back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
dance hips face challenge compliment accusation
How to conjugate "throw it back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
throw it back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
throws it back
he/she/it
Past simple
threw it back
yesterday
Past participle
thrown it back
have + pp
-ing form
throwing it back
continuous
Hear "throw it back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "throw it back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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