throw in the towel

Cultural  

1. To quit in defeat. The phrase comes from boxing, in which a fighter indicates surrender by throwing a towel into the ring: “After losing the election, he threw in the towel on his political career.”

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

throw in the towel

Unlike bear-market bottoms, which typically end with a spasm of despair as traders throw in the towel, bull-market tops are far more gradual and less dramatic.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Ronnie O'Sullivan says he does not "want to throw in the towel just yet" after being well beaten in his 6-3 defeat by Chang Bingyu in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open on Friday.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

"We need to be ready for a fight, not throw in the towel."

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

But Ellison refused to throw in the towel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

Solos and clansmen alike were ready to throw in the towel.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• bow
• break down
• buckle
• capitulate
• cave in
• cease
• defer
• give in
• give way
• go down
• pass away
• perish
• quit
• wilt
• yield

---