1 B1 neutral
To remove something quickly, especially clothing.
"She threw off her coat as soon as she got inside and collapsed on the sofa."
separable
throw off
B2 neutral separable transitive
To remove something quickly; to free oneself from something; or to cause confusion, disruption, or a loss of accuracy.
In plain English
To quickly remove something, to escape from something, or to confuse and distract someone so they make a mistake.
What does "throw off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To cause someone to lose concentration, accuracy, or balance; to confuse or mislead.
"The noise from the street threw off my concentration during the exam."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To escape from someone or something following or constraining you.
"The spy took several different routes to throw off anyone who might be following him."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To throw something away from your body or path so it no longer holds you.
Actually means
To quickly remove something, to escape from something, or to confuse and distract someone so they make a mistake.
Usage tip
Has several common senses. 'Throw off the scent' is a common idiom meaning to mislead. 'Throw off one's balance/concentration' means to disrupt someone's focus. Also used to mean removing clothing quickly. Quite versatile and common in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "throw off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
balance scent concentration clothes shackles pursuit
How to conjugate "throw off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
throw off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
throws off
he/she/it
Past simple
threw off
yesterday
Past participle
thrown off
have + pp
-ing form
throwing off
continuous
Hear "throw off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "throw off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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