discard
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cast aside or dispose of; get rid of.
to discard an old hat.
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Cards.
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to throw out (a card or cards) from one's hand.
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to play (a card, not a trump, of a different suit from that of the card led).
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verb (used without object)
noun
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the act of discarding.
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a person or thing that is cast out or rejected.
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Cards. a card or cards discarded.
verb
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(tr) to get rid of as useless or undesirable
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cards to throw out (a card or cards) from one's hand
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cards to play (a card not of the suit led nor a trump) when unable to follow suit
noun
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a person or thing that has been cast aside
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cards a discarded card
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the act of discarding
Usage
What does discard mean? To discard something is to dispose of it or get rid of it. In card games, to discard a card is to get rid of it, such as by putting it in the discard pile. Discard can also be used as a noun referring to a card that has been discarded. It can also be used as a noun in a general way, but this is less common. Example: You should have thought about fixing up that old chair instead of just discarding it.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have discardedperfect
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has discardedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been discardingperfect progressive
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has been discardingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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discardingparticiple
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discardssingular 3rd person
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are discardingprogressive
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am discardingprogressive 1st person singular
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is discardingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had discardedperfect
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discardedparticiple
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were discardingprogressive plural
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was discardingprogressive singular
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had been discardingperfect progressive
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discardedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of discard
Explanation
When you discard something, you get rid of it. If your closet is overflowing with clothes you haven't worn since 1992, why not discard some of them? When the verb discard first entered the English language in the sixteenth century, it referred to card playing and meant “to throw a card away.” Discard is still used to describe getting rid of unlucky cards, but today, you’ll also hear it used in a broader sense — we discard, or throw away, things that are undesirable or no longer useful. You might discard a worn out shoe, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing discard
Good Riddance
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The Circuit
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Stuart Little
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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.
Discard the solids and all but ¾ cup of the liquid.
From Washington Times • Dec. 21, 2023
Discard the hot water in the mug, then pour the contents of the shaker tin into the emptied mug.
From Washington Post • Jan. 26, 2023
Discard any mussels that have not opened and garnish with more herbs and red-pepper flakes, if you like.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2022
Discard any mussels with cracked shells or shells that won’t close once you pinch together the edges.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2022
Discard the weaker ones to place more and more emphasis upon the convincing reasons.
From Public Speaking by Stratton, Clarence
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
