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Synonyms

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Every year thousands of dairy farms throw in the towel altogether, which comes with broader implications for America and rural communities.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 10, 2026

"Those at the bottom of the chain do the work and get paid last -- sometimes months later," he said, adding he was ready to throw in the towel and sell his machinery.

From Barron's Mar. 27, 2026

NPR is tracking the number of lawmakers who have decided to throw in the towel this year.

From Slate Jan. 14, 2026

In this regard, bull-market tops are not the mirror opposite of bear-market bottoms, which often are characterized by plunging sentiment as the last remaining optimists throw in the towel.

From MarketWatch Dec. 2, 2025

Because of their ravaged state when they arrived in camp the previous evening, I’d assumed that both men would decide to throw in the towel.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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