throw out

3 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 reject (an idea or proposal), especially by someone in authority B2
  2. 2 put something in the bin because you do not want it A2
  3. 3 force someone to leave a place or organization B2
1 throw sb out

reject (an idea or proposal), especially by someone in authority

B2

What does "throw out" mean in this sense?

This sense of 'throw out' describes the act of formally and definitively rejecting something — such as a legal case, a proposed law, or an official claim — by a person or body in a position of authority. It is most at home in legal, political, and institutional contexts: judges throw out cases, parliaments throw out bills, and courts throw out appeals. The phrase carries a sense of finality and decisive dismissal — stronger than simply 'rejecting' something, it implies the proposal or claim had little merit worth engaging with. You will encounter it frequently in news reporting about court rulings or legislative debates. It is well understood across formal and informal contexts, though it is most naturally produced in writing and speech about official decisions.

Examples

How to use it

authority + throw out + proposal/case/bill

The most common active pattern, where an institution or official is the subject and the formal proposal or claim is the object.

The committee threw out the proposal before it could even be debated.

proposal/case/bill + be thrown out + (by authority)

The passive is extremely natural in this sense and is often more common than the active, especially in news and legal contexts.

The charges were thrown out after new evidence came to light.

authority + throw + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'throw' and 'out' — placing it after 'out' is not grammatical.

The court reviewed the appeal and threw it out within days.

authority + throw + short object + out

Short noun phrases can also appear between the verb and particle, which is a common pattern especially in journalism.

Parliament threw the bill out after hours of heated debate.

have/get + proposal/case + thrown out

This construction is used when someone causes or experiences the rejection of something, often from the perspective of the person who submitted it.

His legal team managed to get the charges thrown out before the trial began.

Common Collocations

throw out a casethrow out a billthrow out chargesthrow out an appealthrow out a claimthrow out a proposal

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after the particle

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'throw' and 'out'. Placing the pronoun after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ The judge threw out it immediately.
✓ The judge threw it out immediately.
Confusing with 'turn down'

'Turn down' is used for rejecting everyday requests, offers, or applications in general situations. 'Throw out' in this sense is specifically used when an institution or authority formally rejects something official, like a case or a bill — it carries a stronger sense of finality.

✗ The hiring manager threw out my job application.
✓ The hiring manager turned down my job application. / The court threw out the lawsuit.
Confusing with the 'discard' sense of 'throw out'

This sense of 'throw out' only takes abstract institutional objects — cases, bills, proposals, claims. If the object is a physical item being discarded, that is a completely different meaning. The context and the type of object are the key clues.

✗ The court threw out the old files by putting them in the bin.
✓ The court threw out the case. / She threw out the old files.

Usage

This phrasal verb is most common in legal and political contexts and appears frequently in news articles. It is neutral in register and can be used in both formal writing and everyday conversation when discussing official decisions.

2 throw sth out

put something in the bin because you do not want it

A2

Sense 2: What does "throw sth out" mean?

To throw out something means to put it in the bin because you no longer want or need it. People often throw things out when they are old, broken, expired, or just taking up space. It is a very common expression used when tidying up a room, cleaning out a cupboard, or getting rid of clutter at home. The key idea is that the item goes in the rubbish — it is not sold or given away, just discarded. You will hear this phrasal verb a lot in everyday conversation about housework and cleaning.

Examples

How to use it

throw out + object

The most common pattern, used when the object is a noun phrase placed after the particle.

He threw out all the empty boxes after moving into the new flat.

throw + object + out

Short noun objects very naturally appear between the verb and particle, especially in spoken English.

I found some expired food in the cupboard and threw the tins out.

throw + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and particle — never after 'out'.

That old sofa is broken — just throw it out.

be thrown out

The passive form is natural when the focus is on the item that was discarded rather than who discarded it.

All the old newspapers were thrown out before the guests arrived.

Common Collocations

old clothesempty boxesleftoversrubbishexpired foodold magazines

Common Mistakes

Wrong pronoun placement

When you use a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'throw' and 'out'. Putting the pronoun after 'out' is not correct in English.

✗ I don't need these old receipts — I'll throw out them.
✓ I don't need these old receipts — I'll throw them out.
'Throw out' vs 'throw away'

'Throw out' and 'throw away' mean the same thing when you are talking about putting something in the bin, and you can use either one. Just be aware that 'throw out' has other meanings (for example, ejecting a person from a place), while 'throw away' does not — so the two are not always interchangeable.

Usage

Both 'throw out' and 'throw away' mean the same thing in this sense and can be used interchangeably in British and American English. This phrasal verb is neutral in register and is suitable for both spoken and written everyday contexts.

3 throw sb out

force someone to leave a place or organization

B2

Sense 3: What does "throw sb out" mean?

To throw someone out means to force them to leave a place, group, or organisation, usually because they have broken rules or caused trouble. The removal is sudden and decisive — an authority figure or someone in charge makes a clear, forceful decision that a person must go. You'll often hear this in contexts like sport (a player removed from a game), education (a student expelled from school), nightlife (someone removed from a bar or club), or membership organisations. It carries more emphasis and force than simply asking someone to leave, implying the person had no real choice in the matter. While less formal than 'expel' or 'eject', it's perfectly natural in writing as well as speech, including journalism and sports reporting.

Examples

How to use it

throw + person + out

The most common pattern with a short noun phrase object, where the person is placed between the verb and particle.

The security guard threw the troublemaker out within minutes.

throw + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between 'throw' and 'out' — there are no exceptions.

He was causing so much disruption that the manager threw him out.

throw out + longer noun phrase

With longer or more complex noun phrases, the object more naturally follows 'out' rather than being placed in the middle.

The club decided to throw out anyone who had been involved in the incident.

be thrown out of + place/organisation

The passive form is very natural and often used when the focus is on the person who was removed rather than on who removed them.

She was thrown out of the competition for failing a drugs test.

get thrown out (of + place/organisation)

Using 'get' instead of 'be' gives the passive a more colloquial, personal tone and is especially common in spoken English.

He got thrown out of the team after missing training three times in a row.

Common Collocations

thrown out of schoolthrown out of the teamthrown out of the barthrown out of the houseget thrown outthrow someone out

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'him', 'her', or 'them', it must go between 'throw' and 'out'. Placing it after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ The referee threw out him after the second foul.
✓ The referee threw him out after the second foul.
Confusing with 'kick out'

'Kick out' has a very similar meaning but is slightly more informal and emphatic. In most contexts the two are interchangeable, but if you want a more neutral or widely appropriate tone — including in writing — 'throw out' is the safer choice.

Using 'from' instead of 'of'

The preposition that follows in this construction is almost always 'of', not 'from'. While 'from' is not entirely wrong, 'of' is strongly preferred and sounds much more natural.

✗ Two students were thrown out from the school.
✓ Two students were thrown out of the school.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both everyday speech and written English. It is less formal than 'expel' or 'eject' but appropriate in most contexts, including journalism and sports reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'throw out' be used in the passive? It sounds strange to me.

Yes — in fact, the passive is one of the most natural ways to use 'throw out' in this sense. Phrases like 'the case was thrown out' or 'the appeal was thrown out by the Supreme Court' are extremely common, especially in news articles and legal writing. You might even find the passive more frequent than the active in formal contexts.

Who can be the subject of 'throw out' in this meaning?

The subject is almost always an institution or official acting in an official capacity — a judge, a court, a parliament, a committee, or a similar authority. It would sound unnatural to use this sense with an ordinary person as the subject. If the subject is not mentioned, the passive is used to keep the focus on what was rejected.

Does 'throw out' always mean the same thing?

No — 'throw out' has several distinct meanings. This specific sense is about authorities formally rejecting something like a legal case or a bill. In everyday conversation, 'throw out' more commonly means to discard rubbish or unwanted items, or to expel a person from a place. The type of object in the sentence is usually enough to tell which meaning is intended.

Can I say 'the court was throwing out the case'? Why does continuous tense sound odd here?

It does sound unnatural. 'Throw out' in this sense describes a single decisive act of formal rejection, not an ongoing process, so continuous tenses like 'was throwing out' feel awkward. Stick to the past simple ('threw out'), present perfect ('has been thrown out'), or passive ('was thrown out') for the most natural results.

What kinds of things can be 'thrown out' in this sense?

The objects are almost always abstract and institutional — things like a case, a bill, a claim, an appeal, charges, a motion, a petition, a conviction, or a proposal. These are all things that have been formally submitted to an authority for consideration. You would not use this sense with physical objects or with a person as the object.

Does 'throw out' always mean putting something in the bin?

No — 'throw out' has other meanings depending on the context. For example, it can mean to force a person to leave somewhere. However, when the object is a physical item like old clothes or leftover food, it always means to discard it.

Can I use 'throw out' to talk about getting rid of something by selling it or giving it away?

Not really. 'Throw out' specifically suggests putting something in the bin or discarding it as waste. If you sell or donate an item, it is better to say you 'got rid of it' or 'gave it away'.

Is 'throw out' used more in British or American English?

Both British and American speakers use 'throw out' naturally. American English speakers sometimes slightly prefer 'throw away', but both are perfectly correct and understood everywhere.

Can I use 'throw out' to talk about food that has gone bad?

Yes, absolutely. 'Throw out' is very commonly used with food that is expired, old, or spoiled — for example, 'I threw out the leftover pasta' or 'We threw out everything in the fridge before the holiday'.

Does 'throw out' always mean removing a person? I've heard it used in other ways.

No — 'throw out' has more than one meaning. In this sense the object is always a person or group of people being forcibly removed. When the object is a thing (like old clothes or rubbish), it means to discard it, and when the object is an idea or proposal, it means to reject it. Context usually makes the meaning clear immediately.

Can I use 'throw out' in the present continuous, like 'they are throwing him out right now'?

It's grammatically possible if the action is literally happening at that exact moment, but it sounds a little unusual. In practice, speakers tend to use the simple past or perfect instead: 'they threw him out' or 'they've thrown him out'. The present continuous is rarely used with this phrasal verb.

Is 'get thrown out' different from 'be thrown out'?

They have the same basic meaning, but 'get thrown out' sounds more informal and personal — it's very common in everyday speech. 'Be thrown out' is slightly more neutral and appears more often in written or journalistic contexts. Both are correct and widely used.

What kinds of places or organisations can someone be thrown out of?

The range is very wide. Common collocations include being thrown out of school, a club, a bar, a team, a game, a meeting, an organisation, or even a country. Essentially any place or group from which an authority figure has the power to remove someone can follow 'thrown out of'.

Does 'throw out' suggest the person did something wrong?

Usually, yes. The phrase typically implies that the removal was triggered by misconduct, rule-breaking, or some kind of disruptive behaviour. It suggests a decisive, justified action by someone in authority rather than a neutral or gradual departure.

Related Phrasal Verbs

kick sb out

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