throw off
verb
threw off; thrown off; throwing off; throws off
1
3
: to produce in an offhand manner : execute with speed or facility
some little … tune that the composer had thrown off—
James Hilton
James Hilton4
a
: to cause to depart from an expected or desired course
mistakes threw his calculations off a bit
b
: to cause to make a mistake : mislead
Examples of throw off in a Sentence
the sudden noise just threw me off completely, and I missed my shot
Recent Examples on the Web
Jet lag, the traveler’s bane of existence, can throw off your entire trip.
—Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
When staying in a hotel, these routines may be interrupted and can throw off your body’s preparation for sleep.
—Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2024
Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.
—Associated Press, TIME, 27 Oct. 2024
But research shows that artificial light, particularly LED lights rich in the same blue wavelengths as moonlight, can throw off this intricate dance and trigger corals in the same locations to spawn at different times.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for throw off 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
When staying in a hotel, these routines may be interrupted and can throw off your body’s preparation for sleep.
—Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2024
Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.
—Associated Press, TIME, 27 Oct. 2024
But research shows that artificial light, particularly LED lights rich in the same blue wavelengths as moonlight, can throw off this intricate dance and trigger corals in the same locations to spawn at different times.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for throw off
Dictionary Entries Near throw off
Cite this Entry
“Throw off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20off. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share