ENGLISH
REFERENCE

throw sth away

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. to put something in the bin because you do not want it or need it anymore.

phr. v.. to dispose of an item as refuse; to discard something that is no longer useful or desired.


SIMPLE

Don't throw those old magazines away.

CONTEXTUAL

I need to throw away these old shoes because they have holes in the bottom.

COMPLEX

The company was criticized for throwing away tons of perfectly edible food while local families struggled with rising costs.

Particles
away
Separability
optional
Pattern
throw + object + away
Usage

the object can go between 'throw' and 'away' or after the whole phrase.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'throw out' (synonymous) and 'give away' (donating); highlight that it can also be used figuratively for wasting an opportunity.

Pitfall

I threw away it.I threw it away.when the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

© 2026 English Reference