Word
discard
Phoneticsdis·card, stress on the second syllable
/dɪˈskɑɹd/
Definitions
01to throw away
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to get rid of something because it is no longer useful or wanted.
v. to dispose of or reject something as no longer useful or desirable. Transitive — requires a direct object.
日本語:捨てる※
“Please discard any old food from the fridge before you leave for vacation.”
“The manufacturer decided to discard the faulty components rather than attempting a costly repair that might compromise safety standards.”
02card games
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to get rid of a card from your hand that you do not want.
v. to play or lay aside a card from one's hand. Often used intransitively in gaming contexts.
日本語:捨てる※
“On your turn, you must draw one card and then discard another.”
“The professional player chose to discard the king, a tactical move that confused his opponents and protected his remaining high-value cards.”
03a rejected item
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. something that has been thrown away or rejected.
n. an item, person, or idea that has been cast aside or rejected as useless.
“The designer looked through the discards to see if any fabric could be reused.”
“The pile of industrial discards behind the factory became a source of raw materials for local sculptors and hobbyists.”
04programming
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a temporary variable used to hold a value that the program will not use later.
n. a dummy variable or placeholder used to receive a return value that is intentionally ignored by the application logic.
“The programmer used an underscore as a discard for the second value in the list.”
“By using a discard for the unwanted output parameters, the developer kept the function call clean and improved the overall readability of the code.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “discard” in context.
Verb
01. discard and replace equipment
“The laboratory needs to discard and replace all outdated equipment to maintain safety standards.”
verb + and + verb
02. discard the packaging in the bin
“Please discard the plastic packaging in the recycling bin after opening the product.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. summarily discard the idea
“The committee summarily discarded the idea without even putting it to a vote.”
adv + verb
Noun
04. discarded clothing
“The charity collected piles of discarded clothing to distribute to the homeless.”
adj + noun
05. discarded remnants of fabric
“The artist created a stunning mosaic using discarded remnants of fabric from the local factory.”
adj + noun
Adverb
06. carelessly discard a cigarette
“The forest fire was started by a hiker who carelessly discarded a cigarette butt.”
adv + verb
07. permanently discard the data
“Once you empty the trash folder, the system will permanently discard the data.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“Previous research has succeeded in isolating cell nuclei from FFPE samples, but much information is lost—particularly RNA—when the rest of the cell is discarded.” “In the hospital, she finds that she and her fellow child inmates are the object of obsessive study in turn by their doctors – sometimes understood, sometimes valued, and then, tragically, sometimes discarded.” Etymology
From dis- + card. Compare Spanish descartar.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/discard
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0