# chuck away

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chuck-away
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to throw something into the trash because you do not want it anymore.

For teachers: to discard or dispose of an item, typically because it is perceived as useless or redundant; informal register.

## Examples

- Don't chuck away those old magazines yet.
- I spent the whole afternoon cleaning the garage and chucking away broken tools and empty boxes.
- While some collectors preserve every scrap of paper, others prefer to chuck away anything that does not serve an immediate practical purpose.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I chucked away it." but "I chucked it away." — when using a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- highly informal; common in British and Australian English.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'throw away' (neutral) and 'discard' (formal); the verb 'chuck' implies a casual or careless physical action.

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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.