throw in the towel

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

“I don’t ever wanna have another episode again. I’m like, I’m gonna see a therapist, if I have to take medicine — I kinda like threw in the towel,” the rapper continued.

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Chasing 233, the Proteas were on the ropes at 78-5, but their tail refused to throw in the towel, showing the same grit that saw them turn the tables on India in their previous outing.

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Macron's office said he would pick a name by Friday evening after his seventh prime minister Sebastien Lecornu threw in the towel on Monday following months of stalemate over an austerity budget.

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It’s a way of throwing in the towel, waving the white flag, wishing for the mercy rule used in youth baseball.

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I almost threw in the towel a few times.

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Related Words

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