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to toss away

to toss away

5 2.0
To throw something away because you no longer want or need it
  • phrasal verb
  • /tɔs əˈweɪ/
translation icon : tirar
  • She decided to toss away the old magazines that were taking up space in her apartment.
  • tossed away a cigarette
  • toss away a career
  • tossing away a perfectly good

And perhaps that is the painful equivalent of tossing stuff away.

Examples

  • Why toss away a promising career, hmm?

  • Rather than toss it away, I set it aside.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Yeah guys who come to fish here just toss stuff away.

  • But after a second or two, he tossed it away.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • After four or five tries, he tossed it away in frustration.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Hey, KD, could you toss that away for me real quick?

  • Let's toss this away.

  • Toss it away.

  • Tommy pulls it from his pocket, glances at it, and tosses it away.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • But Patrick became discouraged and impatient, tossing away his data.

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

to get rid of
vsto toss away
1.6

To remove or throw away something you do not want

is narrower, focusing on physical removal rather than broader elimination
to dump
vsto toss away
541 2.6

To drop or throw things away in a careless way

is removal without implying carelessness or abruptness
to throw away
vsto toss away
477 1.8

To get rid of something you do not want, for example by putting it in the bin

emphasizes removing something by a brief physical motion
to throw out
vsto toss away
202 1.8

To put something in the trash because you do not want it

is close but often implies a brisk physical act of removal
to dispose
vsto toss away
149 3.4

Get rid of something by throwing it away, selling it, or giving it to someone

is the simple act of removal by a quick motion rather than other methods
to shed
vsto toss away
131 3.5

To get rid of something you do not need

is general removal usually by a simple physical action
to discard
vsto toss away
130 2.7

To throw something away because you no longer want or need it

often focuses on removing items by a quick physical motion
to toss out
vsto toss away
39 2.7

To throw away things you do not want

is similar but stresses quick physical action rather than general removal
to trash
vsto toss away
  • US
34 1.0

To throw away something you no longer want

is general removal and may not stress waste status
to scrap
vsto toss away
30 3.7

To throw away something that is no longer useful

is broader, applying to simple removal without breaking up
to jettison
vsto toss away
29 7.8

Throw things from a ship or plane to make it lighter

is broader, covering ordinary removal not tied to vehicles
to junk
vsto toss away
13 3.0

To throw away things that are no longer useful

is general disposal not only for old or broken things
to cast aside
vsto toss away
  • Informal
11 3.7

Reject or ignore people and things you no longer want

is about physical removal without the sense of intentional rejection
to kick to the curb
vsto toss away
  • Informal
7 8.6

Get rid of someone or something you no longer want

is a neutral removal without the strong social rejection sense
to cast away
vsto toss away
4 4.1

To throw away things you no longer want

is simple removal rather than also implying rejection or neglect
to chuck out
vsto toss away
  • UK
1 3.7

To throw away things you do not want

is the general act of removal without the informal tone
to throw overboard
vsto toss away
1 6.0

To reject or get rid of something no longer needed

is general removal and not limited to being sent from a vessel
to sweep away
vsto toss away
1 3.9

To destroy or carry something away completely, for example by water

is milder, meaning removal but not total destruction
to slough off
vsto toss away
1 7.5

To get rid of something unwanted, for example a bad habit or a weak branch

is the ordinary act of removal not implying gradual shedding
to deep six
vsto toss away
  • Informal
1 8.6

To get rid of something permanently

is broader, allowing casual or temporary removal
to throw to the dogs
vsto toss away
  • Informal
1 9.1

To give up something important in a careless or disrespectful way

is general removal without the insulting or careless attitude
to give it the deep six
vsto toss away
  • Informal
9.9

To throw something away and stop using it

is general removal that may not be deliberate or final

Antonyms

1.0

Keep something for use later

How Final

to dump
541 2.6
to toss away
5 2.0
to put aside
24 2.4

Surface Forms

toss away infinitive
tossed away past participle
tossing away present participle
tosses away third person singular

Morphology

toss + away

The meaning 'to throw or discard' is directly and transparently built from 'toss' (to throw casually) plus 'away' (to a different place), so the overall sense is predictable from the parts. This verb + particle pattern is a common, compositional English construction and is likely immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Toss away: The phrasal verb toss away shows a clear picture: you pick something up and give it a quick, light throw — toss — so it goes away from you. That's why it now means 'to throw away' or 'discard', and can also mean 'to waste' a chance or resource.