throwaway
Americanadjective
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made or intended to be discarded after use or quick examination.
a throwaway container;
a throwaway brochure.
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delivered or expressed casually or extemporaneously.
a funny throwaway line that brings applause.
noun
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something that is made or intended to be discarded.
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a handbill, advertising circular, pamphlet, etc., intended to be discarded after reading.
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Also called pushout. Informal: Disparaging and Offensive. a youth who is unwanted or rejected by their family, the school system, or society in general.
adjective
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said or done incidentally, esp for rhetorical effect; casual
a throwaway remark
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anything designed to be discarded after use rather than reused, refilled, etc; disposable
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( as modifier )
a throwaway carton
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noun
verb
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to get rid of; discard
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to fail to make good use of; waste
to throw away all one's money on horses
Etymology
Origin of throwaway
First recorded in 1900–05; adjective, noun use of verb phrase throw away
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For a rare breed of travel enthusiast, the free toiletry pouches are more than a throwaway convenience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
And then she remembered a few throwaway lines from a comedy series about a matchmaking festival in Ireland.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Clearly, the algorithm masters aren’t too precious about these throwaway texts; their core strategy will always be to embrace whatever seems to work best in the moment.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
While reflecting upon her four-decade-long career in “Kylie,” an intimate new three-part Netflix documentary, Kylie Minogue says a throwaway line that anchors the endeavor: “Life makes sense to me onstage.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
One directs me to a throwaway apartment directory available in boxes on the sidewalk, but its offerings all include hot tubs and on-site gyms and go for over $1,000 a month.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
