throw·away
ˈthrō-ə-ˌwā 
1
: designed to be thrown away : disposable
throwaway containers
2
: written or spoken (as in a play) in a low-key or unemphatic manner
throwaway lines
3
: nonchalant, casual
4
: marked by a tendency to discard things : overly wasteful
a throwaway society
1
: one that is or is designed to be thrown away: such as
a
: a free handbill or circular
b
: a line of dialogue (as in a play) de-emphasized by casual delivery
especially
: a joke or witticism delivered casually
2
: something made or done without care or interest
3
: a child who has been forced to leave home or who has run away from indifferent or hostile parents
threw away; thrown away; throwing away; throws away
1
a
: to get rid of as worthless or unnecessary
b
2
3
: to make (something, such as a line in a play) unemphatic by casual delivery
Synonyms
Examples of throwaway in a Sentence
Verb
I should throw away that torn shirt.
if you buy a high-end computer, you'll just be throwing away money on a bunch of features you'll never use
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2023
Even the seemingly throwaway dialogue in a dinner scene reinforces how society perceives women struggling to balance the unfair demands of family and career.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2023
Will Leitch, Vulture, 24 June 2024
There’s a throwaway line in the book about how these faux pas that happen on social media are the consequence of the difference between what a human and what a computer considers a large number.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Wrist bands For a true sentimentalist, throwing away concert wristbands is simply unimaginable.
—Sammi Tapper, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for throwaway 
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Adjective
Reich also makes skillful use of the callback, in which a seemingly throwaway line is revisited and built on, sometimes multiple times.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2023
Even the seemingly throwaway dialogue in a dinner scene reinforces how society perceives women struggling to balance the unfair demands of family and career.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2023
Noun
Leitch produced the film, which was a passable Netflix throwaway hampered by dopey B-movie conventions.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 24 June 2024
There’s a throwaway line in the book about how these faux pas that happen on social media are the consequence of the difference between what a human and what a computer considers a large number.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
Ann Selzer is throwing away her reputation for a suppression poll.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Wrist bands For a true sentimentalist, throwing away concert wristbands is simply unimaginable.
—Sammi Tapper, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for throwaway
Dictionary Entries Near throwaway
Cite this Entry
“Throwaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throwaway. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
throwaway
1 of 3 noun
throw·away
ˈthrō-ə-ˌwā
: something that is or is designed to be thrown away especially after one use
throwaway
2 of 3 adjective
throw·away
ˌthrō-ə-ˌwā
: designed to be thrown away : disposable
throwaway cans and bottles
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