throwaway

[throh-uh-wey]

adjective

1. made or intended to be discarded after use or quick examination.

   a throwaway container;

   a throwaway brochure.

2. delivered or expressed casually or extemporaneously.

   a funny throwaway line that brings applause.

noun

1. something that is made or intended to be discarded.

2. a handbill, advertising circular, pamphlet, etc., intended to be discarded after reading.

3. Also called pushout. Informal: Disparaging and Offensive.,  a youth who is unwanted or rejected by their family, the school system, or society in general.

throwaway

/ ˈθrəʊəˌweɪ /

adjective

1. said or done incidentally, esp for rhetorical effect; casual

   a throwaway remark

2. 1. anything designed to be discarded after use rather than reused, refilled, etc; disposable

   2. ( as modifier )

      a throwaway carton

noun

1. a handbill or advertisement distributed in a public place

verb

1. to get rid of; discard

2. to fail to make good use of; waste

   to throw away all one's money on horses

Word History and Origins

Origin of throwaway¹

First recorded in 1900–05; adjective, noun use of verb phrase throw away

Example Sentences

Specifically, I often recall one throwaway line that has come to feel very prescient.

From Salon

Washington is unsurprisingly mesmerizing, improvising small gestures and throwaway lines.

From Los Angeles Times

He was gathering bits and pieces considered to be “throwaway,” pulling from a “disaster” but shaping them into something vital and new.

From Los Angeles Times

And for anyone thinking they have heard much of this story before, it is the extra and sometimes unexpected, throwaway details that will make this a fascinating read.

From BBC

In short, it is no accident that his albums tend to be largely free of filler or throwaway tracks.

From Salon

Related Words

• announcement 
• broadcast 
• commercial 
• display 
• endorsement 
• exhibit 
• literature 
• notice 
• placard 
• poster 
• propaganda 
• publication 
• publicity