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 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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 22 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share