throwing
/ˈθroʊɪŋ/
Very CommonDeliberately or carelessly losing, failing, or sabotaging something you could have won.
Can mean intentional or unintentional self-sabotage. In gaming, usually intentional. In other contexts, often careless rather than deliberate.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | bro walked into a 1v5 with no shields. he's throwing so hard | The player made an obviously bad decision that cost the team. | reddit, 2022 |
| 02 | she had him and then replied 'lol k'. throwing the whole relationship | A dismissive reply likely ruined what was going well with a romantic interest. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | our team was up 2-0 and still threw it in overtime | The team had a winning lead and lost it through their own mistakes. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | i'm literally throwing this interview. said 'you too' when they said good luck | Nervously self-sabotaging during an important moment. |
Use it when
- Someone makes a decision that directly causes their own loss.
- A player is suspected of losing intentionally in a game.
- Someone squanders an obvious advantage in any situation.
- Someone's actions make no sense and look like self-sabotage.
Do not use it when
- Someone simply made a mistake or had bad luck.Use “fumbled” instead.
- A team lost despite playing their best.
Variations and related forms
Throwing vs fumbled
throwing
Throwing implies ongoing or intentional self-sabotage, often in a competitive context.
VS
fumbled
Fumbled is past tense and focuses on a specific mistake that cost you something you already had.
Origin and context
Originated in competitive gaming communities, where 'throwing' meant intentionally losing a match. Spread beyond gaming into everyday internet slang to describe any form of self-sabotage or inexplicable failure.
- First seen
- 2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/throwingUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0