Throwing definition: what "Throwing" means and examples

February 13, 2026

Deliberately making mistakes or failing at a task through lack of effort or poor choices.

When someone is "throwing," they are essentially sabotaging their own success or the success of their team. It originates from "throwing a game" in sports. In daily life, it describes someone who had a clear path to a "w" but ruined it by being silly, lazy, or making a bad decision. For example, if a student has an easy essay but leaves it until ten minutes before the deadline, their friends might say they are "throwing." It is a critique of wasted potential or unnecessary failure, suggesting that the person had the ability to succeed but chose a path that led to a loss.

Examples:

  1. "You had a great chance with her, but you started acting weird and totally threw."
  2. "I was doing so well in my driving test until the very end; I really threw by not checking my mirrors."
  3. "Stop throwing and just focus on the task for five minutes so we can finish."

We've compiled this dictionary of common teen slang to help parents communicate with their kids. SafetyMode is the world's most advanced parental safety app for phones, making any Android phone safe for kids. You can find out more and download the app just here.

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