# throw one's hat in the ring

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/throw-ones-hat-in-the-ring
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

## Examples

- She decided to throw her hat in the ring for the election.
- I want to throw my hat in the ring for the baking contest.
- After years of working in local government, he finally threw his hat in the ring for the mayor's seat.
- The manager was surprised when the quietest employee threw her hat in the ring for the new leadership position.
- Following months of speculation regarding his political future, the senator officially threw his hat in the ring, promising a campaign focused on economic reform.

## Origin

Derived from the nineteenth-century custom of literally tossing one's headgear into a boxing ring to signify a formal challenge to a pugilist. The physical act served as a public declaration of intent to compete, providing a visible signal that a volunteer had emerged from the crowd to engage in the match. The gesture migrated from the sporting arena to the political sphere, where it remains a standard, if now purely metaphorical, method of announcing one's candidacy for office.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.