thrown: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral to informal. The verb base 'throw' is common in all registers; 'thrown' as a participle appears in more descriptive or narrative contexts.
Quick answer
What does “thrown” mean?
The past participle of 'throw', meaning to propel something through the air with a sudden motion of the arm and hand.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past participle of 'throw', meaning to propel something through the air with a sudden motion of the arm and hand.
Used to describe being propelled, cast, or put into a specified state or position, often suddenly, forcefully, or carelessly. It can imply being disconcerted, confused, or entering a new condition involuntarily.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in meaning or usage. Potential minor variations in collocational preferences (e.g., 'thrown into jail' vs. 'thrown in jail') are not consistent or region-exclusive.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “thrown” in a Sentence
[be] thrown + PREP. + NP (He was thrown into confusion)[be] thrown + ADJ. (The room was thrown open)[be] thrown + PARTICLE (The evidence was thrown out)[have] thrown + NP (She had thrown the ball)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thrown” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He hasn't thrown anything away for decades.
- The rider was thrown onto the tarmac.
American English
- She's thrown her support behind the new policy.
- The pitcher hasn't thrown a strike all inning.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use for 'thrown']
American English
- [No standard adverbial use for 'thrown']
adjective
British English
- A badly thrown dart hit the wall.
- He had a thrown-together look about him.
American English
- It was a thrown-together last-minute meal.
- A perfectly thrown spiral pass.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically: 'The market was thrown into chaos by the announcement.'
Academic
Descriptive in historical/scientific contexts: 'The particles were thrown from the nucleus.'
Everyday
Most common: 'I've thrown the old magazines away.' 'He was thrown from his bike.'
Technical
In sports (e.g., 'a poorly thrown pass'), physics ('an object thrown at an angle'), or engineering.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thrown”
- Incorrect: *'I thrown the ball yesterday.' (Correct: 'I threw the ball yesterday.')
- Confusing 'thrown' (past participle) with 'throne' (seat of a monarch).
- Misspelling as *'throwed'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it can also function as a descriptive adjective (e.g., 'a thrown pot' meaning one made on a potter's wheel, 'a thrown-together plan').
'Threw' is the simple past tense (I threw it yesterday). 'Thrown' is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs like 'have', 'has', 'had' (I have thrown it away) or in passive voice (It was thrown).
Yes, figuratively. Phrases like 'be thrown', 'feel thrown', or 'thrown off' mean to be confused, disconcerted, or unsettled by something.
It is an irregular verb form. The principal parts are: throw (base) - threw (past) - thrown (past participle).
The past participle of 'throw', meaning to propel something through the air with a sudden motion of the arm and hand.
Thrown is usually neutral to informal. the verb base 'throw' is common in all registers; 'thrown' as a participle appears in more descriptive or narrative contexts. in register.
Thrown: in British English it is pronounced /θrəʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /θroʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “thrown in at the deep end”
- “a stone's throw away”
- “thrown for a loop”
- “throw in the towel (related)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a THRONE. A king is THROWN off his THRONE. The 'THR' sound links the words.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE OF STATE IS CHANGE OF LOCATION (He was thrown into despair). DISORIENTATION IS BEING PHYSICALLY UNBALANCED (The question threw me).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'thrown' correctly?