# ditched

/ˈdɪtʃt/ (US) · /dˈɪtʃt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ditched
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to get rid of something

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to stop using something or throw it away because you do not want it anymore.

For teachers: to discard or get rid of something that is no longer wanted or useful. Transitive use.

- He ditched his old car as soon as he could afford a new one.
- The company ditched its outdated software system after realizing it was slowing down production across all departments.

### 2. to leave someone or a plan

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to leave a person you were with or to skip a plan, often without warning.

For teachers: to abandon a person, group, or scheduled commitment, often abruptly or to pursue a more desirable alternative.

- She ditched her friends at the party to go home with her sister.
- The students ditched their afternoon lecture to take advantage of the unusually warm spring weather at the park.

### 3. emergency landing

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to land an aircraft on water in an emergency.

For teachers: to bring an aircraft down on water in an emergency landing. Transitive or intransitive depending on whether the pilot or the plane is the subject.

- The pilot successfully ditched the plane in the river after the engines failed.
- Following a total loss of engine power, the flight crew ditched the aircraft in the Pacific, ensuring all passengers could evacuate onto rafts.

### 4. having a ditch

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describes a piece of land that has a long, narrow hole dug into it.

For teachers: characterized by the presence of a ditch or trench. Used primarily in land management or archaeological contexts.

- The ditched boundary marked the edge of the farmer's field.
- Archaeologists identified a ditched enclosure that likely served as a defensive perimeter for the ancient settlement.

## Examples

- He ditched his old car and started taking the bus.
- They ditched their original plans for a beach holiday when they saw the storm forecast.
- The startup ditched its initial business model after six months of stagnant growth, pivoting instead toward a subscription-based service that better aligned with consumer habits.

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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.