throw-in

1 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of throwing a ball in: such as
a
: a throw made from the touchline in soccer to put the ball back in play after it has gone into touch
b
: a throw from an outfielder to the infield in baseball
c
: an inbounds pass in basketball
2
: something added as a bonus or supplement

throw in

2 of 2

verb

threw in; thrown in; throwing in; throws in

transitive verb

1
: to add as a gratuity or supplement
2
: to introduce or interject in the course of something : contribute
they throw in some … sound effects on several songsTom Phillips
3
4
: engage
throw in the clutch

intransitive verb

: to enter into association or partnership : join
agrees to throw in with a crooked ex-copNewsweek
Phrases
throw in the towel or less commonly throw in the sponge
: to abandon a struggle or contest : acknowledge defeat : give up

Examples of throw-in in a Sentence

Noun anyone who buys a book today will get a bookmark as a throw-in
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Yaya Toure’s long-distance drive, which sailed out for a throw-in, on the stroke of half-time, summed up Barcelona’s frustrations. Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 Daniels, who was considered a throw-in when this deal was made, has blossomed into one of the NBA’s premier defenders, leading the league in total steals and steals per game, and being a finalist for the defensive player of the year award as well. Mikai Bruce, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
Jones threw in a Game 4 winning goal for good measure and blocked a bunch of shots, too, generally looking the part of a playoff-ready defenseman. The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 3 May 2025 Rather than following two specific points of view that are about to converge in some way, the show has to throw in a few other scenes for the sake of clear storytelling — for the greater good of the series, rather than the individual episode. Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for throw-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1678, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of throw-in was in 1678

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Throw-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw-in. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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