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Glite Dictionary
🚷 To expel 🗑️ To discard 🚫 To reject
to throw out

to throw out

163 4.2
To stop considering a case, request, or proposal in court
  • phrasal verb
  • /θroʊ aʊt/
translation icon : desechar
  • Without any real evidence to win a conviction on any of those counts, the judge finally threw it out.
  • throw out the case
  • the court threw out

That got thrown out, dangerous driving, thrown out, ABH on the police officer was dropped.

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Examples

  • Suppose further that, for some reason, the results of the election are thrown out.

    Academic text (1997)

  • People will say that punitive damages are usually reduced or thrown out on appeal.

    Academic text (1997)

  • And you have to be willing, I think, to, to throw out things that you once believed.

  • Each time your case was thrown out.

    Swordfish (2001)

  • We know that so often ballots get cast and get thrown out because of signature match laws.

  • When you're talking about changing laws or throwing out the rascals, rage can have an effect.

    Blog text (1)

  • Decker didn't want to take the chance of gathering evidence only to have it thrown out.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • When Country Music Television was thrown out of Canada, it promptly withdrew Canadian musicians from CMT programming.

    Academic text (1997)

  • The judge decided to throw out the case due to lack of evidence.

  • After reviewing the evidence, the attorney requested to throw out the motion for dismissal.

Synonyms

to abandon
vsto throw out
401 3.8

Stop supporting an idea or plan

focuses on formal cessation of consideration rather than simply withdrawing support
to rule out
vsto throw out
246 3.5

Decide that an idea, cause or option should not be considered

is often used in formal settings rather than simple personal elimination
to ditch
vsto throw out
  • Informal
234 4.4

To abandon a person, plan, or thing suddenly

involves formal stopping of consideration, not sudden or irresponsible leaving
to cancel
vsto throw out
224 1.0

To make a ticket, order, or rule no longer valid

is about stopping consideration of a request or case rather than revoking legal validity
to dismiss
vsto throw out
  • Formal
192 4.1

To end a legal case so the court does not consider it

is a broader formal action used to reject various matters beyond court cases
to toss out
vsto throw out
39 2.7

To throw away things you do not want

is used for formal rejection or ending consideration rather than physical discarding
to repudiate
vsto throw out
  • Formal
33 8.2

To refuse to accept or be linked to something

focuses on ending consideration of a case or proposal rather than personal denial
to go out the window
vsto throw out
  • Informal
21 7.5

An idea or hope that is suddenly ignored and can no longer happen

is about formal refusal or ending consideration, not only sudden disappearance
to kick to the curb
vsto throw out
  • Informal
7 8.6

Get rid of someone or something you no longer want

is a formal ending of consideration rather than a harsh personal rejection
to wave away
vsto throw out
4 5.3

Treat a question or problem as not important

treats matters as formally rejected rather than casually brushed aside
to wave off
vsto throw out
  • Informal
2 5.9

Treat something as unimportant and ignore it

focuses on formal cessation of consideration rather than casual disregard
to throw overboard
vsto throw out
1 6.0

To reject or get rid of something no longer needed

is about formal refusal or ceasing to consider rather than informal discard
to chuck out
vsto throw out
  • UK
1 3.7

To throw away things you do not want

is used for formal rejection or ending consideration rather than casual disposal
to drop the idea
vsto throw out
1 3.3

To decide not to continue with a plan or suggestion

involves formal rejection or ending consideration, not just stopping a plan
to drop the writ
vsto throw out
  • UK
9.6

To stop a court case by canceling the official paper that starts it

is broader and ends consideration, not only the removal of a legal document
to deep-six
vsto throw out
  • Informal
8.6

To get rid of something completely, for example by cancelling plans or throwing things away

means complete elimination, while the main concept focuses on stopping formal consideration

Antonyms

to consider
∞ 1.1

To think carefully before making a decision

to accept
793 1.0

To take something someone offers, for example a gift or invitation

How Dismissive

to dismiss
332 3.0
to throw out
163 4.2
to reject
839 1.9
to turn down
312 2.9

Surface Forms

throw out infinitive
throwing out present participle
throws out third person singular
threw out past
thrown out past participle

Morphology

throw + out

The meaning 'to remove or expel' is directly derivable from combining 'throw' (send/propel) with 'out' (away/outside): together they convey sending someone or something away. The extension to dismissing from a job or position is a predictable metaphorical use of that physical sense and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb throw out brings to mind a judge pushing a file off the table — literally throwing it out of the room. So, the phrase came to mean 'to dismiss' or 'refuse to consider' a case.