Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

throw back

Idioms  
  1. Hinder the progress of, check, as in His illness threw his schooling back a year , or The troops were thrown back by a barrage of fire . [First half of 1800s]

  2. Revert to an earlier type or stage, as in That dog throws back to his wolf ancestors . This usage gave rise to the noun throwback , a reversion to a former stage or type. [Second half of 1800s]

  3. throw back on . Cause to depend on, make reliant on, as in When the violinist didn't show up, they were thrown back on the pianist . [Mid-1800s]


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.

See Examples For:

Deckhands throw back the stones and pack the scallops in ice below deck.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2024

He backtracked desperately, and the throw back to the infield skidded past second baseman Ozzie Albies.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 9, 2023

Peguero doubled home Nick Gonzales in the seventh and then alertly scored from third when reliever Jacob Webb dropped catcher Matt Thaiss’ throw back to the mound and was slow to retrieve the ball.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 24, 2023

It was exciting to throw guitars on a Bollywood moment, and then throw back to an old Japanese song from the '60s that I love.

From Salon ● May 1, 2023

As we walk across Bando’s meadow, he whistles; I throw back my head, and, feeling free as the wind, breathe in the fresh mountain air.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com