throwaway
Americanadjective
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made or intended to be discarded after use or quick examination.
a throwaway container;
a throwaway brochure.
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delivered or expressed casually or extemporaneously.
a funny throwaway line that brings applause.
noun
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something that is made or intended to be discarded.
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a handbill, advertising circular, pamphlet, etc., intended to be discarded after reading.
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Also called pushout. Informal: Disparaging and Offensive. a youth who is unwanted or rejected by their family, the school system, or society in general.
adjective
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said or done incidentally, esp for rhetorical effect; casual
a throwaway remark
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anything designed to be discarded after use rather than reused, refilled, etc; disposable
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( as modifier )
a throwaway carton
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noun
verb
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to get rid of; discard
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to fail to make good use of; waste
to throw away all one's money on horses
Etymology
Origin of throwaway
First recorded in 1900–05; adjective, noun use of verb phrase throw away
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.
The company burst onto India's crowded telecom scene in 2016, offering throwaway tariffs that got millions of Indians hooked to the internet.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
For a rare breed of travel enthusiast, the free toiletry pouches are more than a throwaway convenience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Clearly, the algorithm masters aren’t too precious about these throwaway texts; their core strategy will always be to embrace whatever seems to work best in the moment.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
A sweet little throwaway in which Mellencamp picks up steaks at the grocery store for a picnic with his daughter Teddi.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
One directs me to a throwaway apartment directory available in boxes on the sidewalk, but its offerings all include hot tubs and on-site gyms and go for over $1,000 a month.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
